


The Marauder's Guide (To All Things Good)

by amuletgirl, prongslittleflower (violetsareblonde)



Series: The Marauders [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Contains profanity, F/M, Gen, Scenes of a sexual nature - Freeform, Sensitive Topic/Issue/Theme, Small Amount of Death, Substance Abuse, Teen Pregnancy, mild violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2020-09-27 08:31:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 241,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20404750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amuletgirl/pseuds/amuletgirl, https://archiveofourown.org/users/violetsareblonde/pseuds/prongslittleflower
Summary: Lyla Parker (soon to be Lupin) and Alexa Parker (never to be Black) aren't sure when everything got so complicated but they've narrowed it down to four persons, the Marauders, and one stupid book they live their lives by.  Weddings. A baby. Seventh year. When life hands you lemons...As told by the characters from the pre-sequel, Can't Touch This





	1. Rule 28: Dropping the Subject

**Author's Note:**

> Well, ladies and gents, boys and girls, people of distant lands (and other planets who will be reading this in the past), here is the first chapter of the sequel to Can’t Touch This, also known as, The Marauder’s Guide: To All Things Good! I’m so happy that you have taken to reading or are just starting to read. This is the first in many chapters to come and we, that being myself and my good friend AmuletGirl who will be writing Lyla’s point of view as well as some of the Marauders, are so excited that you are joining us! Please, feel free to stay as long as you like and to leave a review and let us know how we’re doing if you have the time. We are so thankful to those who read the first story and really happy for those of you who are sticking around to join us for this story as well. The names of the chapters, to those who may be confused, will also be the rules that are presented in the story and come directly from the Marauders themselves. So, without further ado, we present to you, chapter one!!
> 
> Xoxo,  
Prongslittleflower and AmuletGirl
> 
> (Also, We don't own Harry Potter or any affiliated characters - aside from the OCs)

_Alexa's Point of View_

"_Rule 28: The subject of conversation shall be dropped when it is said to be dropped; otherwise the subject of the conversation has all rights to 'drop' the other subjects in the conversation."_

Letting out a breathy sigh, I glanced down at the boy underneath me. His eyes were still closed, his mouth slightly parted, and I felt my heart surge as I held still for a moment more. As his hands fell from my hips, I rolled gently away and fell to his side. Trying to remain completely still, I took deep breaths while my heart raced again. My whole body felt sensitive and my mind was reeling.

The room was silent as we lay side by side in the bed. His heavy breathing had calmed slightly back to a normal pace after a few minutes, and finally my heartbeat had slowed to something that was considered to be normal a moment or two after his. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see his hands run over his face, his eyes closing momentarily. Taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth to speak as I felt his hand move along the bed towards my own. Jumping up quickly and dragging the tangled bed sheet with me, I quickly pulled it over my naked body into some sort of towel-like structure as I began to search for my clothes.

"Well, once again," I made some sort of motion with my hand in an awkward gesture of thanks (why I was thanking him for mind-blowing sex again? Even I didn't know that one) as I gathered my things off the bedroom floor in James' guest bedroom. Pulling the duvet up around his waist, Sirius sat up as I pulled my knickers on and then hastily pulled my jean shorts on. Turning around so I wouldn't have to see his penetrating eyes, I dropped the sheet from my chest as I shrugged my arms into my bra. Then I jumped slightly as his hands replaced my own as he pulled the clasps together for me.

"Alexa, we need to talk about this." He said from behind me. Raking a hand through my longish brunette-again hair that had been messed up by what had just happened and pulling it into a ponytail, I turned to face him. Looking at his bare chest instead of his eyes, I shook my head. "It's just sex, Sirius, not rocket science. I thought that this, being you and all, wouldn't have to be complicated."

I glanced up at him slightly to see him struggling for words and took that moment to look around the room. The bed was just an accusing object for what we had just done, the clothes scattered around the room his, and the blinds drawn shut from the outside world where I knew my friends would be arriving any minute for some of the first wedding preparations.

Moving away from his presence, I picked up my shirt from the ground, pulled it right side out and slipped it on. Then I moved towards the mirror on the wardrobe and made sure I didn't look too flustered anymore. My hair was messy, no longer the straight style that it had been when I'd arrived this morning but no one would notice that if I just ran his brush through my hair quickly, which I then did after taking the high pony tail out and pulling it back to rest at the nape of my neck, and my cheeks were flushed as were my swollen lips, but those would die down soon. "Get dressed, Sirius, we have to go downstairs. Like we've already established, this didn't mean anything." I said while meeting his eyes for the first time through the mirror.

No emotion crossed his eyes but the smirk on his face was false, just like my smile. I knew how much this meant, how much I wanted this to mean; we were only fooling ourselves for the moment. This had been happening for a while. It wasn't like I didn't want to be with Sirius; at that moment I probably would have given my right arm to be his girlfriend again, but I didn't want to get hurt either. It was the summer before our seventh year, we were both single, and we both wanted to have fun. So that's how it worked out. Instead of being together, we decided that friend with benefits was a much easier thing to go about doing.

As I shut the door behind me and leaned against the hard wood, I sighed while wiping the sweat that was forming on my brow. James' house may have been the shit and really old and historical, but it was hot as hell during this unusually sweltering heat of the English summer. Collecting myself again, I skipped down the stairs and out the back door while smiling at my sister who was sitting on the porch with Mrs. Potter and my own mother.

Mrs. Lupin was on her way over with Remus at any moment, and Blair and James were in the kitchen making snacks for everyone. After greeting my mother with a kiss and taking a seat next to Lyla around the large table that was set for lunch, I crossed my arms and waited while the parents discussed what flowers should be used if the florist was unable to get Lyla's first choice. Speaking of Lyla, her calculated gaze was focusing rather harshly on my right. Turning and giving my sister the most dazzling smile I could, my smile faltered when I saw her face.

The smirking was getting old. "And where have you been, my little Maid of Honor?" She asked while resting her hands on her protruding stomach. The teal colored, empire-waist shirt she was wearing hid her baby-bump but also made her skin glow with the help of her tan and I couldn't help but think she was probably the prettiest pregnant woman I had ever seen. Then her question hit me, and I raced to come up with an excuse.

"Oh, just in the bathroom and all." I said while giving her a slight smile and averting my eyes to where James and Blair were coming out to the back porch, James precariously holding a tray with one hand and tickling Blair with the other. When I looked back to Lyla, her face was growing ever more 'all knowing' by the second.

"And it took you a half-hour in the bathroom, eh?" Her eyes began to twinkle as I struggled to come up with a response. I was saved from further questioning, however, when Sirius's booming laughter was heard from inside and he and Remus walked out onto the back porch carrying a photo album. Lyla's smile grew to the size and wattage of the sun as Remus locked eyes with her and walked over to kiss her cheek. They were so cute it was almost disgusting.

"What do you have there, Pads?" James asked while Mrs. Potter took his tray and began to set out drinks and samples of the food that Remus and Lyla (mostly Lyla) had chosen for their dinner. Sirius's eyes looked like they were literally glittering in the afternoon sun and he tossed his hair from his eyes (doing weird things to my nervous system, that did) as he held the photo album high in the air.

"This, my dear Prongs, is a yearly dating of our dear Remus. Shall we have a look and relive the awkward years of ickle Reems?" He asked teasingly. Blair clapped her hands together before joining Sirius at his spot by the table. The parents rolled their eyes and began to discuss wedding plans, which usually just consisted of them squealing for hours while not getting anything done, while Lyla and I piled our plates with food as Remus joined us instead of reliving his past.

As we sat quietly at the other end of the table from the mothers, Remus made a face at one particularly grueling picture of himself. To ease the stress that the young couple usually felt while talking about the wedding, I took a large bite of some weird maroonish looking paste that had been slathered on my plate by Mrs. Potter, who was in charge of helping my mother locate caterers.

Choking the chalky substance down, I did my best to smile at Remus and Lyla who were both watching for my reaction. "Well, I'm not going to lie to you all, that was awesome." At their raised eyebrows, which seemed to happen in sequence nowadays, I took a large drink of my water and scraped my teeth over my tongue. "Okay, so that was the most disgusting thing I've ever put in my mouth."

"And we all know where that mouth has been, don't we Padfoot?" James asked as he plopped in the seat next to me and wiggled his eyebrows. Sending a sharp look at him, I turned quickly to make sure none of the adults had heard him.

"If we weren't in blatant view of your mother, I'd kill you right here, James." I said in a pleasant voice and then turned back to my food. Lyla's laughter came from across me and I tried not to roll my eyes as she and Remus took turn sampling the food. "So, Lyls, Reems, any idea on the food that you plan on serving at this shindig?"

"This 'shindig' is a _wedding_, Alex. Gosh, you act like they're just throwing some hoedown in the backyard or something," Blair whined and I leaned over some to see her sitting next to James at the large picnic table. Shrugging my shoulders, I felt heat on my person and covertly peered down at Sirius, who sat completely smooth next to Remus. The only tale-tale sign that he wasn't so nonchalant being his eyes locked on mine. The sound of a throat clearing almost had me jumping from my skin, but I let out a quiet relieved sigh when I saw that it was Mrs. Potter interrupting our chatting.

"Blair is exactly right! This is a wedding. There's so much to do! Now, if you all would, let's turn to the lovely chart that James and Blair constructed yesterday, shall we?" Flourishing her wand, a piece of cardboard, emblazoned with pretty pastel colors came zooming out of the kitchen to hang in the air next to her. As she adjusted the glasses that hid her pretty brown eyes, just like her sons without the green flecks, she smiled at us all.

Taking the job of official wedding planner from my mother, who had more than enough on her plate with Gran and some of the Parker family at the house this summer, and Remus' mother, who was more of a homebody than someone to get out and go, she had employed us for every spare moment to help with the organizing. With the wedding about a month and a half away, there was so much to do but as we really had no clue, she was in charge.

"Okay, now, I know we had talked about some flower choices, but Lyla you need to give us your final decision and choose a color scheme so we can talk to the florist today when you all leave here." Turning her gaze on Lyla, who had suddenly turned a nice blushing color, she waved her hand to the board where next to the bolded word 'Flowers' was a blank spot large enough to hold a picture.

"Well, uhm, Remus and I weren't really set on anything just yet." Trying to stall, she looked to my mother who just raised an eyebrow and narrowed her gaze telling her it wasn't going to work. Trying to find solace in Mrs. Lupin, who also seemed to think Lyla had to make this decision, she slumped her shoulders and sighed. "I hate making decisions."

I couldn't help but laugh slightly and settle back in my chair a bit more, pushing my plate away from me and watching Lyla suffer a little bit. Blair, who had been silent as Mrs. Potter took over, now spoke up again. "Lyla, you have to make the decisions though! It's your wedding here. And trust me, as much as I'd love to plan the whole thing for you, we're going to need your input so your totally content when the day comes."

"She better be content now," Remus muttered teasingly and then reached over to tuck my sister's hair away from her cheek. "Why not those big bunches of flowers that you like in the greenhouse? The ones that we cut last spring?" We all waited for Lyla to settle on something and when she did, her eyes lit up and she gave Remus a tight squeeze.

"Oh, I know what I want!" She exclaimed and then blushed slightly when we all jumped at her exclamation. "Well, I think the flowers should be blue and purple hydrangeas. And the color scheme is going to be blue, purple, and pink pastel colors."

Clapping her hands, Mrs. Potter set to finding the perfect color with Lyla and the moms who stood next to her now. James, who seemed to have had enough of the wedding preparations already, leaned forward while motioning to Remus, Blair, Sirius, and myself. "So, I'm thinking we ditch this and go play Quidditch in the field out back." Pushing the pâté around on his plate, he grimaced before shoving it away. "And Remus, if you serve this at your wedding I will make a totally drunken speech about your life."

"I'm not embarrassing, James. And I can't ditch this, you idiot. It's my wedding." He said annoyed, but I saw the smile on his face when he mentioned Lyla.

Shrugging my shoulders, I sat back in my chair. "I'll stay a bit longer and then skip out; if we can do something other than Quidditch though. We did that the other day and I've still got the bruise from it." I said while rubbing the sore spot on my knee from hitting that freaking tree branch. Rolling his eyes, James muttered something about clumsiness that I chose to ignore for his safety only.

"Well, I was thinking about going to look at flats if you lot wanted to join me." Sirius said casually and we all looked up at him in surprise. Seeing our looks, he shrugged us off. "It's about time I stopped mooching off of the Potters, even though I consider you all family, and after the inheritance I got from my late uncle, I can afford a place of my own for now."

"That's actually really mature of you, Black." Blair said with a grin and he shrugged his shoulder at the acknowledgement, but I noticed the slight tilt of his lips indicating he appreciated the praise.

Sighing, James leaned over to cuff his best mate across the shoulder. "As much as I'll miss seeing you go, it'll at least give us a place to party out of the watchful eyes of mum," And with a brotherly look, the clasped hands. Rolling my eyes, I pushed back my chair, and after confirming that I'd go too, I walked my plate inside.

Passing the parents who were talking about the venue (a church in London for the ceremony, James' backyard for the reception), I gave Lyla the best smile I could before letting it drop as I reached the house. After putting my plate in the sink, I leaned against the counter and poured myself a glass of iced tea from the pitcher that was still waiting. The condensation felt good against my hand, so I held it up to my cheeks and took a breath.

I hadn't really realized it until Sirius had said it, but Lyla and Remus getting married meant that my sister would no longer just be across the room from me. I wouldn't wake up in the morning to her getting out of bed at an insane hour. We wouldn't spend almost every waking minute together. And at night we wouldn't gossip into the wee hours of the morning about stupid shit like we did now.

My heart fell a little more when I thought about the fact that in just a few months after the wedding, she'd have a child, my goddaughter, which would take up even more of her time. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, and I used my t-shirt sleeve to quickly stop any of the salty liquid from dropping.

"You going to be alright?" A voice asked from behind me and I jumped, and then turned around with a bright, albeit fake, smile to look at my best friend. "Yeah, of course, just a little hot out there so I came inside." I lied through my teeth and as Blair's eyebrow rose I knew she knew I wasn't telling the whole truth.

"Are you sure?" She asked again and walked over to the sink to put her dishes down. Sucking in a quick breath, I nodded decisively. She didn't buy it, and I knew a tirade was coming, but Sirius stepping through the doorway, James hot on his heels, luckily saved me. "What are you two doing in here?"

"Evon wants us all outside. She's handing out the timeline and duties for the wedding. Merlin, Alexa, she's even scarier now than last Easter." James said quickly before ducking back outside. Smiling, I started to trail after James, pushing my thoughts aside. I was almost out the door when Sirius' hand landed on my shoulder, affectively stopping me. Blair moved past us gracefully, giving me a meaningful look that make me feel like I was caught with my hand in the cookie jar and I briefly wondered if she knew about Sirius and I. However, I was saved when she whispered that we would talk later about what was wrong.

Looking up at the boy, I waited for him to say something. But he just continued to stare at me until finally I couldn't take it anymore. "What?" I asked, sucking in a breath when the word came out a lot harsher than intended. "What is it, Sirius?" I amended and he continued to look at me before shaking his head and removing his hand.

"I just wanted to let you know, that even though we're having this," He lowered his voice so no one would overhear, "Fling, that we're still friends. We can still talk about shit and what not." Smiling I patted him on the upper arm as I started to walk forward again.

"I know, don't worry. And nothing is wrong." Sending him a smile, I walked back out to see what kind of torture my mother had for me now. "Maid of honor, reporting for duty." I said with authority and I saw Lyla roll her eyes but hand me a paper from an envelope. And actually, it was more like a large packet of paper.

At my questioning look, my mother brought us towards the end of the table where Blair now sat in front of her own packet of paper. While the boys were corralled into something for Mrs. Potter, which sounded a lot like measuring sections of the yard, we awaited my mother's orders. "Okay, girls, what you're going to do is take this menu of all the things we've tasted over the past few days and rate them on how good they were. In the end, Lyla will have the final decision, but we need to get a feel for this. You'll find the menu of the items on the sheets I gave you."

Nodding that we understood, I flipped through a few pages before frowning. This was a lot of stuff. "So after we're done doing that we can go?" I asked hopefully, and my mother outright laughed in my face.

"Of course not, after you finish that you'll be going over this," She lugged a huge stack in front of us, to which we all widened our eyes in horror. "And you will decide who you want to invite to the wedding." Before we had a chance to protest or fake an illness should the need arise, my mother had stalked off to see how the others were faring.

"This is torture!" Lyla moaned and then put her head on the table and her hand on her protruding stomach. "Not only do I have to decide on the food but they want me to go through all the people I've ever met and invite them to the wedding? Could it get worse?"

"Well, at least we're not making packets of almonds into a bow." I said with a grin as I looked at the first item on the menu. 'Agave Fruit Compote' sounded nice enough, not that I remembered eating it, so I gave it a 6 and moved on. "And we're not measuring the yard." I put in. Blair nodded and continued her survey with rapt attention but I noticed that Lyla was staring at her paper nervously.

"Lyls?" Blair asked looking up and seeing my sisters slightly green face. Then, without warning, she raced from her seat and inside to what I assumed would be the bathroom. As Remus took off after her, Blair looked at the list Lyla had been looking off of. "Well, I assume that 'Gizzard' won't be on the menu."

Passing us by with a string trailing from his wand, James let out a 'Thank Merlin' before being reprimanded for slacking and Blair and I turned briskly back to our work. A while later, after Lyla had come back and was now working quickly next to us as we narrowed down the menu to some appetizers, main course, and some desserts besides the cake, I looked over to the boys who were all resurrecting some random fencing mechanism that would be the pretend 'tent' where things would take place. Mrs. Potter wanted to see how everything would look, and after measuring off a safe area, she had set the boys to work.

"So, I know how much you hate talking about this, but have you decided on a dress or even looked at any in the catalogues mom showed you?" I said as I marked one last dessert down on my sheet of paper. Pushing it to the stack of keeps that was sitting at the end, waiting for Remus to agree with what we had picked, I looked at my sister who raised an eyebrow at me in warning.

Blair, seeming to notice this, piped in as she finished her last sheet as well. "It's just with the wedding six weeks away, you need to be semi-prepared for the day and that includes having a dress and knowing what you want with your make-up and hair."

"Ignoring the fact that I assume by saying semi-prepared you mean we're going to have some sort of disaster, I know that the wedding is six weeks away. And while I'm excited that also means that I'm going to be six weeks more pregnant. I'm going to have swollen ankles and feet, fatigue, and loss of appetite. It's supposed to be the happiest day of my life and I'm going to feel miserable." She said at a loss while putting her hand on her baby bump.

"At least your breasts look fantastic though," Sirius announced his appearance with a wink as he collected our stack of rejects to be thrown away. Throwing her pen at the boy, she rolled her eyes as Remus smacked him over the head. "Pretending that didn't happen, I don't really want to talk about the subject anymore, alright?"

Looking at my right towards Blair, I shook my head at my sister before turning back to look at her. "For once, I'm going to have to agree with Sirius and his round about compliment. You're still beautiful as you were when you weren't pregnant. And look at you now; it's five hundred degrees outside," She raised an eyebrow at my slight exaggeration, "And you're not even sweating. Plus, you've barely gained any weight and nothing about you is swollen or gross. You're pregnant. Not ugly."

"Alexa, don't just say that to make me feel better." She said quietly and then folded her hands over an extra piece of paper and smoothed the edges down across the table. Reaching out a hand to stop her, Blair smiled at her sincerely. Tearing up a little, as was her habit these days, Lyla smiled and then let out a shaky laugh while wiping at her eyes. "You guys are the best, you know that?"

"Well, duh, that's just the way we are." I said cockily while getting up from my seat and dusting off the back of my jean pockets. "So you'll come shopping with us soon?" I asked her and she nodded while swinging her legs over the edge of the bench to get up and go check on Remus. Stretching her arms over her head, Blair also stood up and walked over to where James and Mrs. Potter were standing and surveying the mock tent.

I noticed Sirius standing over near my mother and casually began to amble over, straining my ears to catch what little of their conversation as I could without looking like I'd been caught out. Secretly I was hoping that they'd be talking about me, but I quickly stopped my train of thought when I realized that that would be taking the friends with benefits idea into the area of 'caring' and would thus blow my life up again.

"And what's this riveting conversation about?" I asked with a smile as I stepped up to my mother and allowed her to put her arm around me in a hug. Since all the wedding preparation had begun, my mother had turned into a more 'touchy-feely' person, not that I was complaining. It was like now I actually had something to look forward to when she came to talk to me or wanted to know how I was. Mom hugs were the best. Second only to best friend hugs and Marauder hugs.

Patting me on the shoulder, my mom turned her smile towards me before returning her gaze to Sirius, who stood with his hands in his gray cargo shorts. "Sirius and I were just having a conversation about owning your own first home. It's such a lovely experience and if you can officially live on your own then you can really do anything." She said looking over to where Lyla and Remus were standing, his hand on her stomach as she smiled up at him adoringly. Catching Sirius' eye, I raised both my eyebrows once and casually tilted my head to the side.

As his eyes widened, he countered with another raised eyebrow, and I noticed his hands casually slip from his pockets, his right thumb hitching back towards the house. Biting my lip, I turned my most innocent smile on my mother. "Mom, I'm about to go inside and get some lemonade. Would you like me to get anything while I'm in there?" Crossing my fingers behind my back, I willed her to say yes or something of the like while she thought about it for a minute.

"Now that you mention it, love, I believe Margaret said she needed something from the linen cabinet; something about table settings or the like. Sirius, would you mind helping Alexa with those? I'm afraid she's just too short to reach them." Grinning like a fool, he agreed to help while I slipped away from my mother's hold. Pouting at being called short, I started to walk towards the inside, while my mother called after me. "Don't be ashamed, Al! The short genes run on my side of the family."

Locating the linens cabinet in the closet outside of the Formal dining room, I opened the door and looked to the top shelf where I saw what my mother was talking about. Feeling Sirius come up behind me, I put my hands on my hips before glaring at the shelf. It really was too tall. "Damn," I muttered while Sirius' deep laughter came from behind me. "Well, come on then, show me what you've got." I said before I went to move out of the way.

"Oh, I believe you've already seen that." He said before giving me a chance to move and stepping right up to me, while reaching his hands up and easily scooping the cloths from the shelf. Holding my breath as his arms circled me, I felt him dip his head down to speak directly in my ear. "And I believe your exact reaction was to say my name a little louder." And just as he said it, he bit down on my earlobe, causing me to jump and all of the linens in his hands to drop all over the floor.

"Sirius Black!" I shrieked as he laughed even harder. Footsteps running down the hall made me take a step away from him, just as James and Remus rounded the corner. Seeing Sirius laughing still and my reddened face, as well as the linens on the floor, James smiled while Remus rolled his eyes.

"Padfoot, you know it's against the Marauder's code to scare a woman while she's carrying out the duties of Margaret Potter." James reprimanded with a light in his hazel eyes. Sticking my tongue out and I then huffed at the boys' amused expressions before sliding past Sirius and whispering so only he would hear. "You're totally not getting anything for the rest of the week."

Walking back outside and letting the boys pick up the mess, I sat back down at the picnic table with Lyla, Blair, my mother, and Remus' mother. "Well, let's get the guest list knocked out, shall we?"

* * *

"Pads! This one has a pool." James said as he scurried around the back of the flat we were all looking at, at the moment. Rolling my eyes, I walked a little behind the realtor and Sirius, who were discussing prices, amenities, and things that really were just over my head. When we had met the woman earlier that day, her charm and skyscraper heels immediately smote Sirius and James. I, on the other hand, had kept my wits about me. Seeing as I didn't want to be the only person accompanying these two Marauders on the hunt for Sirius' bachelor pad, I had hung back, only offering my opinions when they asked for them.

"It's a modest flat with a nice open floor plan for the living room, kitchen, and dining area, but the loos and the bedrooms are, of course, closed off. There's a master suite, an extra bedroom, and a guest bathroom. Furniture is not included, but as Mr. Potter pointed out, there is a resident pool and sauna." Tottering around, she put the key in the door and pushed, slipping slightly and smiling coyly at Sirius who caught her before she hit the ground.

Ignoring the constricting of my fingers, which were now happily clenched into fists, I slugged James in the arm as I passed him on the way into the house. "Uhm, ow?" He called after me and I rolled my eyes again while taking in the flat. It was moderately spaced, nothing too huge and not a closet either, and then made my way to the big window/door that led out to a small balcony. Seeing as we were on the third floor of the apartment complex, the window would still allow privacy and a nice view.

"What do you think, Alex?" Sirius asked me and his voice rang out down the hall. Following the sound of his voice, I stopped in front of the door that led to the master bedroom. Easily the largest room in the house, apart from the open floor plan of the kitchen/living area, the room boasted a big bay window, it's own private bath, walk in closet, and enough room for lots of furniture. "Well?" He prompted as he came out of the bathroom.

"It's by far the best one we've looked at today." I said, still slightly in awe of the perfectness of this room. "If you don't buy it, I will." Smiling at the boy, he grinned back while going to stand by the bay window. James came into the room, putting a hand on my shoulder and smiling at me knowingly, causing me to send him a questioning look.

"We all know this is the room you'd like the best." He winked once and I whipped around to see if Sirius had heard him. Luckily, it didn't appear to be so, but I sent James a scathing look all the same. Trying to stay calm, I was about to tell him he was stupid and had no clue to what he was saying when the woman walked back in with her clipboard. "Well, Mr. Black, Mr. Potter? What do you think?"

Sirius turned from the window and came to stand by James and I, his gray eyes glinting and James seemed to understand the meaning behind his hidden look. I felt Sirius' arm wrap around my waist and James let his hand drop closer to my chest from where it sat on my shoulder. The realtor's eyes followed their movements, her smile not wavering in the slightest, and my face flamed when I realized what they were implying.

"Well, we just want our girl happy and she seems to really enjoy this bedroom." Turning his sultry gaze to my eyes, I tried my best to glare at Sirius who squeezed me, causing me to jump back into James' arms. "How much is the asking price?"

"Rent for three would be easily split, and because it's a muggle neighborhood, it will be a bit higher." She glanced at her clipboard and I stomped none too lightly on James' foot, causing him to release me before I stumbled out of Sirius' hold. "It'd just be one rent, actually. I'm, uhm, not with them you see. We're just friends." I tried to recover my credibility but the look on the woman's face told me she didn't believe a word I was saying.

"It's not my place to judge, love. And between us girls, they are such a fine catch. And you got both of them!" I felt my face flame up again and as I opened my mouth to plead my case again, I felt a sharp swat on my backside. "Sirius!" I shrieked and he just winked, putting his hand on the realtor's back and guiding her from the room to talk numbers. Turning to James, who was laughing to himself, I did my best glare before stalking the room. "I'll be waiting outside." I announced to the group, who all got a little laugh at my expense.

Twenty or so minutes later, as I was leaning against the railing of the apartment complex looking down at the street below, the door opened to the flat and the realtor smiled at me before she walked to the stairs and began to make her way down them. As the boys stood to either side of me, I kept my eyes straight when I talked to them. "So, I take it the flat is now under the name Sirius Black?"

Tugging on my ponytail, Sirius pouted when I wouldn't look at him. "Technically, not for another few weeks. I have to think about it and then sign on it."

"But the woman did try to get him in on some sexual deviancies. Gave him her address and all, she did." Glancing out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sirius roll his eyes and shake his head at James, whose own eyes were twinkling with knowledge of something he thought he knew. "Well, I'm going to head home. Busy day and all, and I happen to be knackered." With a kiss on my cheek, trying to lighten my mood, he disapparated loudly, causing us to both jump and curse while looking around to make sure there were no muggles about.

As Sirius and I stood for a few moments more in silence, I sighed and pushed myself off the rail before making my way towards the stairs. "Well, I'm not too far from here so I think I'm just going to walk it." Turning the corner, I saw Sirius let out a breath of air and then follow after me.

"You can't walk home by yourself, Alex." He said while taking the stairs quickly to catch up to me. By the time we reached the bottom, we were eye level as I stood a few steps above him. "It's getting dark. You might as well let me walk you." Looking around, and not at his pouting face, I noticed that the stores on the street were closing down and the street lamps were turning on.

"Fine, but only because I don't want to get caught doing underage magic if someone jumps me." Sending me a grin, he slung an arm around my shoulders as we ambled down the street and just like that I seemed to forget all about the joke he played on me earlier. "Mr. Black, I daresay you're getting awfully boyfriend-like tonight." I said jokingly and he sent me a look while rolling his eyes.

"Ms. Parker, I'm highly offended. Who am I to resist walking a defenseless woman home?" I rolled my eyes at the defenseless part and he continued over my discretion. "Besides, an arm around the shoulder is nothing. Now, holding hands; that's dangerous territory." I couldn't help but laugh, as he sounded so offended while saying it. Allowing myself to lean against his side some, I meandered down the street with him.

Within a few minutes, as I had tried without success to think of something to say to him, we had arrived at my front porch. Looking down at his watch, I noticed that it was only 7 o'clock, but all of the lights were out inside. "Well, looks like it's home alone for the night. They must have gone out to eat without me." I said, meaning it was a joke but realizing that it had come out a bit bitterly.

"Well, I'm here. I can stay if you'd like me to." Sirius said with a smile. My heart leapt involuntarily and I frowned slightly. Standing under the dark porch, I felt covered, knowing that if I asked him to come inside it would solidify our friendship, but if I said I was fine and went alone, we would remain in the awkward unbalance. Naturally, I knew what to do.

"I think I'll be alright tonight. I'm not really looking to do anything tonight." I said with emphasis on the 'anything.' Sirius' smile faltered for a moment and then he smiled broadly at me again, his teeth shining in the darkness as he reached into my hand and took my key from it.

As he unlocked the door, he spoke to me again. "That's good because you've kind of exhausted me. We're friends, Alexa, and friends hang out. Let's just talk and do nothing for a while. Besides, I know your mom has leftovers from dinner the other night and I'm starving."

Laughing, I knocked him with my hip nudging him out of the way to extract my key from the hole and push the door open. As expected, no one was home (even my extended family who visited so often) and I found myself taking the familiar route to the kitchen in the dark. Sirius, who was on my tale, waved his wand and the lights came on through the swinging door.

"Well, let's see what we've got going on in here." I opened the fridge, pulling out items as Sirius got down plates and cutlery for us to use. "We might as well cook something, Sirius, there's not much going on in the ways of prepared food." Peering over my shoulder, he looked into the refrigerator and let out a huff that ruffled the loose hairs on my shoulder.

"Looks like a whole lot of nothing." Rolling my eyes at his obviousness, I moved him out of my way to pull dry noodles and soup cans from the cabinet. "Grab some of the chicken out of the freezer, would you? I'm going to make something." Nodding his head, he got what I asked for as I rummaged around for pots and pans. He leaned against the counter, handing me things, as I needed them, before eventually he got bored.

"Where's Little Sirius at?" He questioned me while making a tower out of the spice bottles I had requested from him. Grabbing the salt from the counter before he could add it, I raised my eyebrows at him and made a face, which he returned.

Sighing, I pointed to the direction of the kitchen door with the knife I was using to cut up the chicken. "He's upstairs in my room, but I swear to Merlin, if you prank anything up there I will chop your fingers off, Sirius." Raising his hands in surrender while grinning, he swaggered away towards the door before winking over his shoulder. Trying hard to retain my smile, I turned back to dicing the chicken, grabbing spices off of the tower that he had built as I went. As I was placing the pieces into the pan that was sizzling with oil, Sirius walked back in cooing to my cat that had grown substantially since Christmas.

"I don't think you're cooking that right," Sirius said in a nasally tone as he stood behind me watching the oil pop and the chicken turn from pale pink and raw to white and cooked.

"Stop being an asshat, Black, and stir the noodles." Mocking me from behind, he held Little Sirius in one hand while picking up the spoon and stirring the noodles that were slowly cooking in the pot next to the chicken pan. After flipping the chicken and setting the top on it so oil wouldn't splatter everywhere, I washed my hands quickly and took my meowing cat from Sirius' arms. "Who's a good little kitty?" I cooed while Little Sirius licked my face.

Scratching him under his chin, Sirius stood in front of me before snatching the cat away. "Hey!" I cried in outrage but he silenced me by pulling me over to a chair to sit down. He sat on the other side and then put Little Sirius in the middle, which stood and swung his head to either side to look at us.

"We're going to have a little experiment. Neither of us are going to say or do anything, and we're going to see who Little Sirius likes more." Rolling my eyes, I leaned back in my chair.

"That's a bad idea, Sirius. Someone is going to get their feelings hurt." Waving me off, he leaned back in his own seat as well, acting like he wasn't fazed at all. "No they're not, because he's going to pick me and it will all be good."

Sighing, I crossed my legs and watched Sirius' face as Little Sirius continued to stand in the middle of the table like a dunce. I loved the cat to death, but sometimes he was too much like human-Sirius to fathom. Eventually, as he started to move, I looked into the little green eyes of my black cat and smiled widely when I felt his little pink nose on mine. "He knows who takes care of him." I said while patting his little white feet as he meowed happily.

"Yes, well, he just doesn't realize who he really loves because I'm not around him as much as you are." Sirius said as he scrambled to sit up and hide his sadness. Laughing, I nudged Little Sirius towards human-Sirius and grinned when Sirius smiled at the little cat. "What are you grinning at? Your noodles are boiling over."

Jumping from my seat, I cursed as water went all over the stove, smoke rising as it hit the hot surface. "Shit, shit, shit." I said while removing the pot from the burner and setting it on a potholder so it wouldn't burn the counter. Sirius laughed while coming over to help me clean up the mess. Putting his chin on my shoulder when we were finished and I had turned back to the kitchen, he sighed and then wrapped his arms around my waist.

"What's next?" He asked, and as his breath fanned over my neck I shivered before popping the lid on the chicken broth and other soups. "Well, we mix in the cream cheese, cottage cheese, and soups and then add the noodles and bake it." I said while trying to control myself. Moving away to get me the cream cheese, I looked down at the pan and tried not to feel my face flame red as I blushed. Merlin this boy was having the strangest effects on me today.

Eventually as the oven dinged and we put food on our plates, we went into the living room to watch the muggle television that my father had installed earlier in the summer. Turning it on to a random game show, we sat together on the couch while we ate in semi-silence. Once everything was finished, Sirius sat our plates on the coffee table and I leaned back against the arm of the couch while placing my legs in Sirius' lap.

He placed his hands on my calves and then pulled me down some so I was lying down and squeezed my legs soothingly while Little Sirius moseyed into the living room and sat himself on my stomach. "I'm going to fall asleep and leave you to clean everything up if your not careful, Sirius." I said sleepily as he flicked the lights off with his wand. He smiled at me as the nightly news came on and the clock in the living room chimed nine times.

It wasn't long after that my eyes closed on their own accord and my hand slowly stopped it's petting of Little Sirius. I dozed dreamlessly, barely moving when Sirius got up from the couch. My eyes wrenched open, however, once the clock chimed in the living room. Listening to it, I heard only one ring and looked around confused when I saw Sirius sleeping in one of the chairs across the room. The television was off and I got up, slowly putting Little Sirius on the cushion beside me.

Walking into the kitchen, I saw that it was all cleaned up and there was a note on the counter from my parents telling me they were upstairs and that Lyla was at the Lupin's for the night and to head upstairs when I woke up because they would be leaving early in the morning. After grabbing a quick glass of water, I walked back into the living room and leaned against the door for a moment watching how innocent Sirius looked in his sleep.

Smiling to myself, I walked over to him and moved some of his hair out of his eyes before waking him up slightly. As his eyes blinked open, I smiled. "Hey, we fell asleep." I stated obviously and he sat up, cracking his neck from its uncomfortable position. Looking at the clock that was glowing from the light the half-moon gave he widened his eyes.

"I better get going then." He whispered while getting up and going to put his shoes back on. Stopping his hand, I brushed some of my extremely messy hair out of my eyes and shrugged my shoulders.

"Stay, please." I tacked on for good measure. His eyes widened and then he nodded, allowing me to take his hand and pull him from the living room, Little Sirius weaving through our legs and bounding up the stairs ahead of me.

Quickly changing into an oversize nightgown/t-shirt and throwing Sirius a pair of Remus' sleeping pants, I walked into the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. Sirius joined me, shirtless as usual, as I was putting moisturizer on my face. Leaning down to brush his own teeth and wash his face, I couldn't contain my laughter when he snatched my sparkly silver headband to hold his hair out of his face.

Jumping up on the counter and sitting while he finished his nightly routine, I smiled at his soapy face and he made a hum of dissatisfaction at my laughter as he rinsed his face. Then, to piss me off he shook the water off of his face all over me. "Sirius, you loser." I shrieked and he laughed at my comeback, mocking me in a high-pitched voice as I walked out of the bathroom and turned the lights off on him.

Following me out, I watched him hesitate when it came to choosing a bed to sleep in. Rolling my eyes, I grabbed his wrist and brought him over to my bed and shoved him towards the side next to the wall, where I didn't usually sleep. As we climbed into bed, I turned on my side to face him, smiling as he wrapped an arm around my waist and brought me closer. Cuddling, I closed my eyes once again, falling asleep to the easy sound of Sirius' steady heartbeat and rhythmic rise and fall of his chest.

* * *

Two days later, I stood outside the bathroom door, dancing around on my tiptoes as Lyla did whatever it was that she does inside of the bathroom with the door locked. "Come on, Lyls. I have to go to the bathroom!" I yelled in once again to no answer. Finally, after I pounded on the door once more, Lyla opened the door, waving her hand to allow me access.

Once I had returned from the bathroom, I walked over to my bed to start pulling clothes for the day out of my drawers. After grabbing my undergarments, I turned to look at my sister who was freshly showered and was putting makeup on at her dresser. "You ready for this fantastic day of shopping?" She asked me in a mock happy voice as she opened her mouth slightly to put her mascara on.

"Wait, so we actually have to look nice today instead of slumming it?" I asked while raking a hand through my brown strands that were a curled mess from sleep. Looking at my pajamas, which consisted of sleep pants that were fraying at the hem and my faded t-shirt, she raised an eyebrow and then shooed me towards the bathroom with her mascara wand.

"If I find a way to get up in the morning, shower and get ready, while carrying this baby around and constantly being hot and having to use the restroom, then yes. I actually expect you to look nice today." Rolling my eyes and waving her off, I stepped into the bathroom to ready myself for the day.

Forty minutes later, we stepped through the front door of the house, Lyla swinging her messenger bag over her shoulder, which contained all the day's essentials, as I shoved my pockets into my cuffed blue-jean shorts. Once we had reached the entrance to our neighborhood, Lyla and I started up a conversation to make the day flow a little more smoothly. I knew she didn't want to be walking around in the heat, but it was the only way we were going to get anything to happen seeing as we couldn't drive muggle cars and there was no way we were taking brooms.

We had also figured that shopping in muggle London would be one of the easiest ways to go because not only would there be less people to run into, but we also wouldn't have the shop keepers to worry about constantly. "So where do you want to go first? There's the baby store in the shopping center or the maternity store or," I racked my brain for things they would need but Lyla cut in when she saw my struggle.

"At some point, we'll need clothes, bottles, nappies, toys, wipes, food. I'll need clothes and new undergarments. We'll need furniture for the baby." As she continued to talk about the things she would need, I widened my eyes realizing something that was very important.

"Uhm, I know that you and Remus are swamped right now, but aren't you all going to need a house or are you going to live with us still after you marry and have a child?" We stopped in front of the baby store and looked into the windows at all the happy people inside. Some men stood helplessly while their wives and soon-to-be mothers threw things into carts. Other women stood together and debated while holding up jumpsuit looking things.

When I turned back to Lyla, she was holding a piece of paper that looked to be a list of things she wanted to get today. "Well, when we get to Hogwarts again, it will all be picked out for us. The dorms we'll live in will be set up and ready to live with everything that we need. But, I guess for now, we're just going to do the best we can and set up a baby room in the guest room of our house. Here, let's go in and take a look around."

Following her inside, a lovely looking lady who shoved a cart in our direction greeted us and then we were on our way, looking around at the immenseness of the store and all it had to offer. After Lyla had went off in search of pink 'onesies,' as she called them, I wondered around picking up cute blankets and socks and a few outfits that I thought Lyla would like. Then, my eyes lit on the strangest contraption I had ever seen. Picking the box off the shelf, I held it discretely and looked for Lyla when the lady from earlier found me stalking around. "Uh, hello." I stuttered out while her smile widened at my find.

"Oh, I see you've found our latest breast pump model. This one has great suctioning abilities and helps mothers release twice the milk of the other models that we had from last year." My eyes widened and my face flamed, as she looked me up and down. "Although, you seem to have gotten the wrong size, love. And you can't be more than a few weeks pregnant at the most. You do just have that mother's glow about you don't you?"

Turning around to go back to the place where I had found the 'pump,' she took the box from me and as soon as she was out of sight I did what any respectable 16-year-old girl would do and bolted. By the time I found Lyla, she was tearing up over by the baby cribs, and I paused to catch my breath before walking over and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Oh, Lyls, that one is perfect."

She nodded and I placed my findings in the cart as we continued to look at the crib that was set up in front of us. It was a white crib with different types of baby animals carved into the molding. The bedding was a pretty powder pink, with yellow stripes running down the side of the sheets and the bumper. The bed-skirt was the same yellow with pink accents at the bottom. Turning from the bedding, which I was adamantly staring at, Lyla shook her head and addressed me.

"Where have you been this whole time, by the way. I've been over here ogling this crib like a stalker and you have been M.I.A." She said while turning from the bed and beginning to push the cart away. Turning away, I followed her as she continued to look around the crib and stroller section of the store.

"Had a run in with a medieval torture device that literally sucks the milk from your boobs like a suction hose. But why aren't you getting that bed stuff?" Laughing at me, Lyla stopped to look at something else with a slight frown on her face.

"First off, it's called a breast pump and I've heard it can be very useful. You need to do some research before you come baby shopping with me again. And the bedding is pretty fantastic, but the crib and everything that comes along with it is too expensive." Looking at my frown, she sighed and put down the things she was looking at. "Remus and I are on a budget. And while it's great that mom and dad are paying for the wedding, we still have no way to pay for a honeymoon, no apartment money, and we have so many other things to pay for with this baby. We've both agreed to just use one of our hand-me-down cribs."

Gaping at my sister, I tried not to roll my eyes before grabbing the things I had picked out of the cart and walking towards the register. "I'm going to pay for my things, and you pick out your things, and we'll hit up the next couple of stores before lunch." Walking off, I pulled my money out while trying not to feel too terrible for my sister and my friend.

A couple of hours, and some slightly less awesome bedding later, Lyla and I sat in a café for tea and sandwiches. Since I had been waiting for the perfect time to breach the subject all morning, I took a sip of my tea and put it down while Lyla continued to sip on her non-caffeinated drink. "So, Lyls, I wanted to talk to you about something. Now, just go with me here. I mean I know that you don't really want this but it's inevitable and something really needs to be done. And seeing as I'm your sister and Maid of Honor, it is my job to see that something does go down."

Putting her drink down, Lyla frowned at me and then rolled her eyes. "We are not throwing some stripper livened, crazy drunk, final blowout bachelorette party, Alexa. If you hadn't noticed, I'm four and a half months pregnant. I no longer have ankles, nor can I drink. A party is not what I really want right now."

"But it's tradition, Lyla!" I yelled out, and then covered my mouth as many of the heads in the café turned towards me. Giving them a slight wave I turned back to Lyla. "Besides, if this party isn't epic as hell then Sirius is going to give _me_ hell forever."

Raising an eyebrow, Lyla leaned towards me from across the table. "Is this about throwing me a party or one-upping Sirius, Alexa? I thought you were over him, by the way?" She sent me a look that she clearly didn't believe that and I scrambled for words as I thought about the fact that she could very well know about our little arrangement.

"It's about throwing my favorite and only sister the bachelorette party she deserves with her best friends. And if it just so happens to be amazing in all things and blows other peoples parties out of the water, then that will just be a happy little bonus." I told her truthfully with a smile, hoping she would buy it and believe me. Leaning back in her seat, she folded her arms across her protruding stomach and pursed her lips.

"I'll think about it." She said and I cheered happily but she then looked at me sternly. "But if I say no, then that's it."

"Aye, aye, Captain." I said and then slammed the rest of my tea before shoving my sandwich in my mouth. "Well, what are you waiting for? We have a party to plan, dresses to buy, and more maternity things to get for you." Grabbing her by the arm, I hauled our bags in the crook of my elbow and we made our way out of the café as Lyla flung our payment to the table, leaving a generous tip for my outbursts.

Later that night as we walked home, carrying numerous bags and talking about how Blair was going to flip her lid when she saw all of the baby clothes, I thought about telling Lyla about Sirius and I. It was irrational, and probably weird to think of it, but I couldn't help it. Ever since he had spent the night a few days ago, I had been getting that bubbly feeling; the one I hadn't felt since we first started dating and then again when he told me he loved me for the first time.

Not to say that the feeling wasn't every bit as exciting and lovely as the first times it happened, but I couldn't be feeling that now. Sirius and I were just friends, friends who had sex, nonetheless, but still just friends. And I wouldn't change that. Couldn't change that.

Sighing as we walked towards the door, I opened my mouth to tell Lyla that I wanted to talk when the door burst open and Blair came running towards us yelling insane things about babies and how she was going to rip the bags open if we didn't just hand them to her now. Smiling at my friend, I waved off Lyla's questioning look. It was better to just throw myself into baby mania anyway. I did not want to think about my own problems or what the boys were up to right now.

* * *

_James' Point of View_

Sirius and Alexa were totally shagging again. And they thought I didn't know. If I wasn't extremely insulted by their blatant disregard at my ninja status, I would totally be excited for them. As it was, however, I was pretty enraged. Did they no longer think that I, the head Marauder and sleuth extraordinaire, would find out? As Sirius, Remus, Pete, and I all sat around on our standard issue, wooden barstools in the middle of my bedroom awaiting the beginning oath of the Marauder's for our meeting to start, I totally would have laid into the boy. But, I had a duty to do, and right now they were counting on me.

I'd get to him all in due time.

"Gentlemen, if Messer Moony would be so kind as to read out the oath so that we may all swear upon it?" I said in a booming voice. Peter looked about ready to wet himself before I rolled my eyes and said in a normal voice, "It's been sound barrier-ed, Wormtail. Chill it out."

Taking a deep breath, Remus cleared his throat and then began in the old English vernacular. "I, Remus John Lupin, do swear that I will well and truly serve our fellow Marauders and Marauders of the past in the office of pranking and mayhem, and I will do wrong to all manner of people, especially Slytherin gits, after the laws and usages of this realm, with the use of fear and favour, affection and illwill. So help me God, Merlin, Godric, and Dumbledore."

"So help me God, Merlin, Godric, and Dumbledore." We all repeated after him and as we rubbed our wrists, a left over reaction from the one time we decided we should all become blood brothers and it went terribly wrong (blood everywhere, my mother furious, the house-elf scared shitless), Sirius rocked back on his stool and looked at me.

"What's the agenda for the meeting tonight, Prongs? Didn't we just have one of these the last week of school? And that was what," He paused and thought in his mind, "Only three weeks ago?"

"Yes, Padfoot, three weeks that you have been hiding something very important from your fellow Marauders. Now, isn't there something you wish to tell us all?" Seeing as I had Moony and Wormtail's attention, I continued on. "I believe that, if you don't remember or have forgotten the rules,"

"That's the same thing, Prongs." Remus interrupted.

"Anyway, if you don't tell us what I know, then you must strip to your skivvies and run through the neighborhood. Not a good prospect if you think about the time Mrs. Emerson from down the street told you she was lonely and had seen you do this once before."

Shuddering, Wormtail let out a squeak as Remus shook his head in slight pain. "Whatever it is, Padfoot, you might just want to give it up now. I'd rather not go out in the heat tonight." He said and I nodded my head at my friends in triumph. Sirius, who had only moved his eyebrow at the mention of Mrs. Emerson, now sat forward on his stool so we would all gather in.

"Well, boys, Prongs here is correct. I've been devious," He said with a swift twitching of his eyebrows at the word. Before he went any further, Peter spoke up.

"I'd really not hear about any more of your conquests, Padfoot. Can't we go back to the days when you only shagged Alexa and wouldn't tell us about it? It'll save all of our ears." As everyone turned their attention to Peter, he shrank back some and blushed at our attention. The boy really needed to loosen the hell up.

Rolling his eyes, Sirius brought the attention away, sparing Peter anymore of his awkward blubbering, "What I was going to say before being interrupted was that the devious thing that I have been doing is going to blow all of your socks off. I, Sirius Black, am," While I smirked at what was obviously coming next, Remus and Peter looked on in rapt attention. "Going to buy a house."

Sending me a wink, Sirius leaned back with a smirk of his own. "That's not really all that surprising, Sirius. We knew you have been looking at houses lately." Remus said while leaning back and examining his fingernails in boredom.

Swallowing the urge to knock the smirking ebony haired boy from his perch, I put my hands on my hips best I could without standing up. Rule number 12 of the Marauder's: Never stand during a meeting lest your punishment be a pile on of the other Marauders. "Padfoot is a dirty rotten liar and if he doesn't come clean in the next thirty second, he will pay by way of Mrs. Emerson."

Weighing his options, Sirius looked torn between what to say and I smiled evilly. First, I knew that if he were made to see Mrs. Emerson, he would either be taken alive by the man-eater and would die in her clutches or would be beaten senseless by her husband, who seemed to not know anything of her man-eating ways. And second, I knew that he was weighing the option of being killed in cold blood by Alexa if the secret of them shagging got out. Finally, right as his seconds were ticking down to zero, he decided on which punishment was worse.

"Fine, that's not it." Glaring at me, he looked at each of the four of us with a stern expression on his pureblood features. "I swear on the Marauder's Guide though, if you all tell anyone what I'm about to tell you then I will personally feed you to the Bloody Barron. Swear it on the Guide."

Summoning the book from my bedside table, I put it on the table that Remus had conjured in the middle of us. Looking at the book, we all smiled fondly for a moment at the Guide that started it all. The Marauder's Guide: To All Things Good was like our version of the Bible. Or Filch's version of How to Catch a Prankster. If one made a promise to the Guide, it was kept until stated that it was all right to release the promise.

"I'll swear on it." I said with a smile and put my hand in the middle, right above the antlers that had been embossed on the cover.

"Definitely," Remus said, placing his hand below mine on the moon. Peter was next, silently placing his hand on the rat located cattycorner to the edge. Finally, Sirius placed his hand at the top above the words.

Once we had all taken our hands off, Sirius took a deep breath. "Okay, for the past few weeks, since the train ride home, I have been partaking in a small friends with benefits relationship with Alexa." As he waited for everyone's reaction, I noticed that the only one who had reacted was Peter. "What, no big gasps or anything?"

"Well, I obviously already knew since I was trying to get you to come clean," I said nonchalantly while shrugging my shoulders.

"And it was pretty obvious that something was going on. I mean, really, you smell like a girl lately, Padfoot and anyone in their sane mind would recognize Alexa's perfume because she's the only one that wears it." Remus said with a grin and Sirius face-palmed in annoyance.

"Why didn't anyone say anything? Do you think the girls notice something is up? Because if they do then you can guarantee that this will be over and we'll be back to the friends-only zone in less time than it would take for me to turn into Padfoot." As my best friend got all worked up, I raised an eyebrow and something clicked in my head.

"Dear lords, Padfoot, are you saying that you like Alexa Parker again?" I questioned while leaning forward. Remus tilted his head to the side and Peter even tuned in while we watched Sirius squirm.

He stuttered on for a moment before clearing his throat and sitting up straight in his chair. "No, don't be silly. We're taking part in this because we are both hormonal teens. Not because we want an actual relationship again. Everyone knows how well that turned out last time."

"But that doesn't mean you wouldn't get it right the second time," Moony said while putting his thinking expression on. "Everyone has fights. I mean, Merlin, Lyla and I were almost done for good but now we're getting married with a baby on the way."

"And everyone knows that Blair and I were almost finished over the Lily fiasco a few months back." I put in to make him feel better. As we had discussed in numerous talks before, Sirius was better with Alexa. Less arrogant, more understanding, not as prickish and playboyish, as he would be without her.

"Yes, well, it's not going to happen so can we implement rule 28 and drop the subject, please?" He sighed while running a hand through his hair and Remus and I exchanged a look before letting the subject drop for now. Rules were supposed to be followed and we would do that for him.

"Well, alright, but what else is there to talk about?" Remus asked while fiddling with the edge of the Guide that still sat between us all. With a shit-eating grin, Sirius put his mask back up for the time being and tapped his fingers along the table for a few moments. "What?"

"Two words for you, Moony." I said catching Sirius' drift. As we looked at the boy in question, we both smiled evilly. With the seventh week until the wedding winding down quickly, we knew what we had to do so no more time would be lost and the girls wouldn't one up us again. Remus groaned when he realized what we were up to and Peter squeaked in excitement again.

"Bachelor Party!"


	2. Rule 112: The Element of Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Don’t get discouraged though, Lyls,” she told me, giving my shoulders a squeeze. “We will find you a dress and you will look absolutely beautiful.” “And if we don’t find anything,” Alexa added, “We’ll come back to this place and get that peach dress.” I shook my head and just laughed.

_Rule 112: If one wishes to surprise another Marauder, one must spare no expense and leave no stone unturned in the execution of the surprise._

_Lyla's Point of View_

"Guys, thank you so much again for coming with me," I said to James and Sirius, who were walking beside me on the crowded street. "It's just Remus was doing something with his parents and Alexa and Blair were off running errands for my mother."

James put his arm around me and shook his head, dismissing my explanation. "Lyla, this involves cake, of course I'm happy to go," he told me, his boyish smile beaming as his glasses began to slide down his thin nose.

"What James means," Sirius jumped in, "Is that we are happy to come along with you. As your best man and the godfather of your baby, we should be helping you with anything that you need." I gave Sirius a smile as he rambled on about the things that were required of him. When he saw me looking at him, he looked back at me sheepishly. "Getting to try all kinds of cake is just an added bonus."

I just shook my head at the two boys who were accompanying me as we neared the bakery. I placed rested my hands on my growing stomach as James opened the door. I was suddenly hit with a blast of cool air, a nice relief from the immense heat that was plaguing Britain at the moment, and the intense smell of sugar and fresh batter. James's eyes widened as we entered the quaint little shop and stepped to the class display case housing a number of seemingly delicious confections.

James managed to peel his drooling face off of the clear case and pulled Sirius and I away from the counter as a person approached us. He leaned in and beckoned for us to follow. "Now, Lyla, you just let Sirius and I handle this," he said matter-of-factly. "They are going to try to take advantage of you and give you a raw deal, I've seen this a number of times. So, just us take the lead."

"This is a bakery, James, I don't think there is anything shifty about this place," I tried to reason with him, but he seemed unmoved in his position. "I mean, look, they have a cute little puppy," I said, pointing over to the small little dog sitting in the front window on a large pillow.

James and Sirius looked over at the tiny little canine and analyzed it. "Don't think for a second that that dog wouldn't go straight for the jugular if given the chance," James said with confidence. "Just trust us on this Lyls, we know what we're doing." I knew resistance was futile, so I just gave in and let James and Sirius take the reigns on this one.

A slight gentleman was now before us, dressed in a deep blue suit, that was rather hideous, but he held the lapels with a certain pride. "Well, you must be Ms. Parker," the man said in a slow sophisticated drawl. I nodded with a smile taking his extended hand into mine and shaking it. "I am Mr. Carroll, the owner of this bakery," stated and then turned his attention to James and Sirius, "And one of these fine gentlemen must be your fiancé?"

Before I could correct Mr. Carroll, James and Sirius took a slight step forward and addressed the man before us. "I am Mr. Potter and this is Mr. Black," James said sternly, pointing to himself and Sirius. "We are consultants to Ms. Parker." Mr. Carroll was somewhat taken back by James's intensity, and looked between the two boys, not really sure how to respond.

I rolled my eyes and added, "These are my friends." Mr. Carroll smiled hesitantly at my clarification as James and Sirius continued to stare us down. James put his arm around the owner, who fit perfectly under James's tall frame, and turned the man toward the back part of the bakery.

"How about we get down to business?" Sirius suggested as he fell in suit with James's stride, as I followed behind.

Mr. Carroll led us back to a room with several mock cakes on display and several tables surrounded by chairs. By the time he had us seated, he had gained back most of his composure. He sat down across the table from the three of us, a pen and paper lying on the table before him. "Now, Ms. Parker, did you have any idea on what you wanted for your cake? Any specific design or flavor?"

Sirius put his hand on my shoulder and gave me a reassuring nod. "I think it would be in our best interest if we tried all the different kinds, just to be sure we pick the absolute best choice," Sirius told Mr. Carroll. Mr. Carroll nodded his head and had a slight smile on his face.

He stood up from his seat. "I will just run back to the kitchen and have my assistant help me bring out all of our finest flavors." With a skip in his step, he headed back to the kitchen leaving the three of us alone to wait.

"You two need to ease up," I told them, adjusting my shirt. "You just about scared the poor man when we first met him. And is it really necessary that we try all the different kinds of cake?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at Sirius.

Sirius and James exchanged a devious smile and then looked to me. "Oh, come on, Lyls, why not?" he said, leaning back in his chair. "Isn't that part of picking out a cake? We need to try them all to know which one is the best. Live a little."

"Plus, are you trying to tell me that you couldn't go for a piece, or six pieces, of cake right now?" James asked, provoking a laugh to escape from my mouth. I couldn't lie; I had been craving frosting ever since I made the appointment to come here. There was slight thump in my belly that made me smile even more.

"Well, I know someone who's excited for some cake," I said looking down at my stomach, my hand on the spot where I could still feel the slight kicking. James and Sirius watched with rapt attention. The baby had just recently started kicking a lot and it got more and more exciting every time. I grabbed Sirius's hand, his eyes widening as I took it in mine and placed it right on the spot where there was a slight pulsing.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sirius panicked, trying to pull his hand back. I held it where it was and told him to just give it a second. Despite Sirius's reservations, he allowed his hand to remain and relaxed a bit. I pressed his hand into my stomach a little more and waited for the baby to kick again. I knew Sirius felt the strong kick that followed by the expression on his face. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped in amazement. "Bloody hell," he whispered, looking down at his hand, "That was incredible." I smiled up at him, happy that someone was able to enjoy this with me. "Oh, she did it again! It's like she's playing football in there." I couldn't help but laugh.

James, suddenly jealous that he wasn't experiencing what we were, leaned forward and pushed Sirius's hand away. "Stop hogging the baby, Sirius," he complained. If these two were fighting over the baby before she even got here, I couldn't imagine what it was going to be like when there was an actual baby to fight over.

I pointed to the spot where the baby was now kicking. He, too, looked amazed at what he was feeling. "She's got quite the leg on her," James commented. "Doesn't that hurt? I mean, it's like she's beating you up from the inside. Is she mad or something?"

"Well, she's been cooped up in there for months," Sirius explained. "I reckon she's just trying to stretch her legs out a bit. I don't blame her. It is pretty amazing though, isn't it?"

"Yeah," I agreed. "Alex about freaked when she felt her kick for the first time." I saw Sirius smile slightly when I mentioned Alexa. "You know, I think it's really great that you and Alexa can finally be somewhat friends again," I told Sirius. Sirius cleared his throat and sat up straighter, clearly a little uncomfortable with the subject. James laughed slightly and Sirius quickly sent him a look that I didn't understand. "Am I missing something?"

Sirius jumped in without missing a beat. "No, not a thing," he said hastily. "Things obviously aren't the same between Alexa and I, and we may never get back to the way we were, but I'm glad we're at least back on speaking terms." James let out a boisterous laugh this time.

"What is going on?" I demanded of the two boys.

"Absolutely nothing," Sirius insisted. "Oh, look, here comes Mr. Carroll with the cake." Looking up, Mr. Carroll was indeed coming toward us, with several assistants following after him, carrying enormous amounts of cake.

We tasted cake after cake and after a while they all just kind of blended together. However, it seemed James and Sirius had differing opinions. After finishing each piece of cake, and sometimes even mine, they swore it was better than the last. They had also dropped the tough guy routine and were now listening with great attention to Mr. Carroll about all the fabulous decorations and details that could be put on the cake. With each idea that was discussed, they got more and more ridiculous, and I'll be honest, I kind of tuned out after a while.

I finally was brought out of my stupor when someone said my name. I looked up to find James and Sirius both looking at me with delight. "So, Carroll here said that he could get us a great deal on a ten tier cake, each tier being a different kind of cake," James explained.

"And some of the decorations sound incredible," Sirius told me, sound like a salesman. "He said that he could possible get real butterflies to rest on the cake and then fly off at the exact moment you and Remus cut the cake." James and Sirius both just nodded at me with broad smiles.

"Well, guys, I was thinking about something a bit more simple," I told them honestly. Sirius's face saddened when I said this.

"Lyls, go big or go home," James simply stated.

"James, I am going to go home, but with a reasonable cake, that's not too flashy," I told him definitively. James and Sirius nodded in hesitant agreement. "I was thinking about a chocolate cake, made with that chocolate that Remus really likes and just a plain butter cream frosting. I'll leave the details to you Mr. Carroll, but I just ask that you keep it simple and elegant; no butterflies and let's keep it to three tiers."

After James finished the last couple bites of his cake and everyone else's and made sure there was not a single morsel of icing left, we bid farewell to Mr. Carroll and headed back to my house to meet up with the rest of the crew to have some dinner. When we got back home, the house was filled with the smell of something delicious. Following the smell, I found myself in the kitchen, where the rest of my family and friends were busily making food.

"And the Prodigal Daughter returns," Alexa said jokingly, as she saw James, Sirius and I enter through the swinging door. "Where the hell have you two been?" she asked, now looking at James and Sirius. "I can't imagine you being of any help at all."

"Hey, hey," James said, sounding hurt, "It was a tough job, but somebody had to do it." Alexa rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I mean we would have sent Peter to do the job, but his talents are better served elsewhere. Wormy doesn't have the attuned palate that Sirius and I have." I looked over to Peter, who was blushing furiously now, and couldn't help but smile at the slightly uncomfortable boy.

"Alright," my mother said in warning, "I want you to leave Peter alone now and let's all sit down and have a nice meal." We all gathered around the magically extended table and began to fill our plates with the meal that my mother had prepared. Remus slid into the seat next to mine and placed a kiss on my cheek.

"Hi," he said quietly to me. He took my hand in his and gave it a squeeze, which I returned with a smile. I was about to ask Remus about his day, but it would have to wait until after I got at least a little bit of food in my stomach. Even though I had had cake not that long ago, I was still so hungry. I patted Remus's knee and continued to eat, to which Remus just laughed.

"So, Lyla," my mother began, "How did it go at the bakery? Did you get everything sorted out?"

"Yes, Mama, everything is taken care of. After much debate," I said looking over to James and Sirius, "We finally decided on a general idea. I trust Mr. Carroll to make us a beautiful cake."

"Oh, I can't believe the wedding is only six weeks away," Blair gushed. She had loved every single detailed minute of planning. She was in a somewhat personal heaven, and honestly, I was grateful that she was enjoying it. She was more than happy to do most of the stuff that I didn't want to do and she did them effortlessly. It's not that I didn't care about all the intricate details of my wedding; this just wasn't my thing. I hated all of the attention on me, and unfortunately that came with getting married. When I pictured my wedding before now, I had always pictured things a very specific way but now, it all just seemed sort of trivial. All that I cared about was making sure Remus was standing by my side.

"Have you guys picked out a song to dance to for your first dance?" Blair asked, her eyes twinkling. "I've had mine picked out for ages." She snuck a look at James and blushed slightly. No doubt, in her mind, James would be dancing with her.

To my surprise, Remus spoke first, "Well, I actually have something in mind." I looked up at him and smiled curiously.

"Oh, really? What is it?" I inquired.

Remus just smirked. "You'll just have to show up to find out." I couldn't help but wonder what it was. I also couldn't believe that Remus had actually picked out the song for our first dance.

"I, too, Blair know what I will be dancing to at my wedding," Sirius said. "Assuming that that day ever comes, which is truly a tossup, but I digress. I have four words for you." Here, Sirius paused for effect as we waited to hear what followed. "Let's. Get. It. On. By the one and only, Marvin Gaye." James, Remus and Peter just started laughing as my parents shifted slightly in their seats. They had pretty much gotten used to Sirius's inappropriate comments, but they still got a little uncomfortable sometimes, not that I could blame them. "I just think it's got a great beat and is a promise of the future." Alexa covered her face and shook her head.

"What about you Alex?" James asked. "What song would you pick?"

Removing her head from her hands, Alexa gave the question a quick second of thought. "I would probably just have Rolling Stones songs play the entire reception. There would be no need for any other music," she said simply.

"Speaking of," my father said, changing the subject, "That concert is coming up, isn't it, girls?" Oh, gosh, amidst everything going on lately, I hadn't even remembered the concert. So much had happened since Blair had gotten those tickets for Alexa's birthday. Back then; we were just three carefree teenagers who would kill to go to this concert. But, now, I was pregnant and about to get married, and even though the teenager still in me wanted to go to that concert so badly, was it really feasible?

"Right you are, Daddy," Alexa said with a broad smile. In less than six weeks, the three of us will be having our faces melted off by the always-lovely Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood, and Charlie Watts. I about pee myself every time I think about it."

"Alexa Noel!" my mother scolded.

"I'm sorry, I just can't help it," Alexa said, as Blair nodded her head in agreement. "Something comes over me when I talk about them. And when we go to that concert, I don't know if I'll be able to contain myself; I can't be held responsible for my actions at this concert. Am I right, Lyls?"

I gave her a weak smile and even as the words came out of my mouth, I wish I could take them back, but I knew that they had to be said. "Well, Alex, I don't know if I should go anymore." And then I waited for the blow up that was sure to ensue.

"What are you even saying?" Alexa exclaimed.

"You can't be serious," Blair added next.

"You have to go," Alexa continued, "Blair bought you a ticket and it was always our dream to go together, you absolutely have to go!"

"I know we had planned on going together," I started, "But I don't think any of us factored me getting pregnant into the plans. I shouldn't go, the sooner I realize that I'm not going to be able to do normal stuff anymore, the better off I'll be."

Alexa rubbed her temples and let out a deep breath. "If you weren't pregnant, I would murder you," she told me. "Lyla, yes, you're going to be a mother soon, and yes, you will also me a married woman soon. Last time I checked, the baby is still safely hanging out in your stomach and you aren't married yet. Just think of it as getting a jump start on the musical education of your child."

"Alexa's right, Lyla," Remus said to me. "You should go. You can still have fun, just as long as you don't run off with anybody from the band," he joked.

"I will personally guarantee that Lyla will still be very much in love with you after this concert," Blair told Remus with a smile.

Alexa slammed her hand on the table. "Then it's settled!" she exclaimed. "The three of us are going to the concert, life is good, and everything is right with the world."

After dinner, we helped my parents clear the table and then headed off to leave my parents to their evening tea. As Alexa, Blair and the boys settled down around the coffee table to play a game of Wizard's Chess, Blair, Alexa and Peter on one team and James and Sirius on the other, Remus and I sat on the couch. Sitting on the opposite end of the couch, I plopped my feet into Remus's lap and relaxed into the couch, the pain in my back slowly melting away. Then, Remus started rubbing my feet and ankles and it just felt like bliss. There were many wonderful things about being pregnant, but the constant back pain and swollen ankles were not among them.

"How'd you feel today?" Remus asked, concern in his voice. "You still having pain in your back?"

"Yeah, but it wasn't too bad," I told him. "The baby was moving around so much that it kind of distracted me. She was kicking a lot more than usual." Remus smiled at the mention of the baby kicking and looked down at his hands as they massaged my aching bones. "And she's already got James and Sirius wrapped around her little finger." I rubbed my hands over my stomach and laughed slightly as I remembered Sirius's reaction to feeling the baby kick.

"Well, Sirius always has had a way with the ladies," Remus joked. Following a few moments of silence, Remus cleared his throat and I could tell that he wanted to ask me something. "So," he started, "We haven't really talked about it much, but what do you think about a honeymoon?"

I pushed myself up a bit more and looked down at Remus on the other end of the couch. "Don't you think that's kind of a moot point?" I asked him with a smile and pointing down to my midsection. "We pretty much took care of the main event already."

Remus laughed slightly and shrugged his shoulders. "I know we've already had our first time and all that but that's not the only point of a honeymoon," he told me. "It's about spending some time together as husband and wife and just escaping from real life for a little bit to just do nothing but be together."

I reached down and stilled, his still working hands. "That sounds wonderful and you know that I would love to do that, but the baby is coming soon and there is still so much that we need before she comes, plus we need to start thinking about a place to live once we're out of school," I said. Remus looked somewhat sad as I said this.

"I just feel bad that you're going to have to sacrifice something like this," he told me. "Lyla, I will always make sure you and the baby will always have everything you need but I also want to give you everything you want. It just kills me that I may not be able to give you this."

I let out a breath, removed my feet from his lap and slid down the couch to sit next to him. "Remus, none of that matters anymore; there are other things that are more important right now. Maybe somewhere along the line, we can have our honeymoon, but it doesn't have to happen now. I know you love me and I love you and that's all that I care about." Remus put his arm around my shoulders and rested his other hand on top of my hands that were folded across my protruding abdomen. "Sure it would be nice to go away with you, but right now, it's just not realistic, and I'm okay with it. I don't want you to worry about this, okay?"

Remus just nodded his head in agreement. "Just out of curiosity, though, if money wasn't a factor and you could go anywhere you wanted, where would you want to go?" he asked. Somehow this didn't seem like this was him letting the subject go. I raised my eyebrow at him and he laughed. "I'm just asking or future reference, no need to look at me like that."

I rolled my eyes at him and then began to think over his question. "Oh, gosh," I said, still thinking about all the beautiful places in the world that I wanted to go. "I guess, if I had to choose one place on this planet to go on a romantic getaway with you, I would have to go with somewhere in Italy. I've always wanted to go there, with all the rich history and beautiful architecture."

"Italy sounds amazing," he said. "I swear to you, right now, that before we die, I will whisk you off to Italy."

I took his hand in mine and shook it firmly. "You have a deal," I agreed.

"You are such a cheater, James Potter!" Blair suddenly exclaimed, standing up from her seat angrily.

"Blair, that's not cheating, that's called pure skill," James informed her. "Just calm down and let's finish the game."

"I don't play with cheaters," she said stubbornly, returning to her seat. Just as James was about to retort, Peter muttered something and a piece on the chessboard began to move. Then, there was a gasp that came from Sirius and a vindictive laugh that came from Blair. "And that is how it's done."

Alexa and Blair stood up and gave each other high fives as Peter smiled down at the board. "Clearly, the better team won," Alexa trash-talked. "Way to go, Peter," she said, patting the beaming boy on his back.

"How did that even happen?" Sirius asked James, who looked completely dumbfounded. "I thought we had it in the bag."

James slammed his hand down on the table. "Okay, rematch, right now!" he demanded.

Before a full on brawl could ensue, I yawned really dramatically. "Oh, man, I'm really knackered," I said loudly so they could all hear me. "I think we should all head to bed and leave the rematch for another night." James stepped away from the table and pouted. "Now, someone help me up off this couch so I don't have to roll off," I instructed. Remus and James sprung into action, each taking one of my hands and pulling me up from my seat.

We said goodnight to my parents and then the boys headed down to the basement and the three of us girls ascended the stairs to mine and Alexa's room. Once there, Blair went into the bathroom to wash her face, pulling her hair back into a loose ponytail. "Just so you know," Alexa said in a whisper as I grabbed blankets from the closet, "Blair has something planned for us tomorrow that you're going to absolutely hate."

"You sure know how to get a girl excited," I said sarcastically. "So, tell me, on a scale from one to the Apocalypse, what are we talking here?"

"I'd say it's a little better than the plague but definitely worse than the flu," she told me after giving it some thought.

"Well, that's encouraging," I fake enthusiastically spouted.

In that next moment, Blair exited the bathroom and looked at us with bright eyes. "Alright, ladies, let's get to bed now," she said, excitement dripping in her voice. "We have a busy, busy day tomorrow and we want to make sure we're well-rested." I gave Alexa a look and she just busted out laughing.

* * *

"Lyla, are you ever going to come out of the bathroom?" Blair asked from the other side of the door I had locked.

I admit that I was being a bit ridiculous hiding out in the bathroom, but what waited outside that door was just too scary to face. "If we're still going, then no I'm not coming out," I stubbornly called back. I heard a frustrated sigh and then more footsteps.

"Get your ass out here right now." This time it was Alexa. "We let you have ten minutes of complaining but now you need to open the door and put an annoying cheery smile on your face," she instructed. When I didn't respond, I could see Alexa's shadow from under the door come closer. "Come really close to the door," she told me. I pushed myself off the counter and pressed my ear to the door. "Okay, look, I couldn't care less if we go look at dresses today," she whispered, "But Blair is driving me crazy about this. So, for the sake of my sanity, will you please just go for a couple hours and act like you're enjoying yourself? It would make Blair very happy, therefore shutting her up about it."

Letting out a slight groan, I unlocked the door, which was followed by an excited squeal. "Oh, we are going to have such a good time, I promise," Blair gushed as she pulled me into a hug, as I stepped out into the room. I put a smile on my face and just nodded in agreement. I looked over to Alexa who had a smug smile on and she just rolled her eyes. "Let the dress hunt begin!" Alexa opened her mouth in mock excitement and just laughed at our dear friend.

Blair pushed open the door to the first shop we decided to go to and I heard a tiny bell jingle as we entered. I was suddenly surrounded by an enormous amount of white, which was a bit overwhelming. Within minutes, there was an extremely tall, thin woman before us.

Her almost white hair was pulled back into an impossibly tight bun, not a single hair out of place, which made her look a bit severe. She was wearing an all black dress that hugged her slim frame and had incredibly long nails that were pained a brilliant shade of red. In all honesty, she scared me a bit. "Well, hello there ladies," the woman stated in a highly sophisticated tone. "Welcome to Dresses by Victoria, I am Victoria Hancock." Blair was staring at Victoria in utter amazement and Alexa had her head tilted slightly, a calculating stare on her face. "Now, you must be the bride-to-be," she said, turning to Blair, " I can just see the excitement radiating out of you.

Blair laughed slightly and shook her head. "Oh, no, I'm not the one getting married," Blair explained. There was something in her voice that wished that she were the one here to pick out her wedding dress. "My friend, here, is the one who is getting married, we're just the bridesmaids."

Victoria looked over to me, her eyes going to my pregnant stomach and she frowned slightly. "Oh, I see," she said, a bit disappointed. "Well, I'm sure we'll be able to find something that will suit you and your situation," she told me, sounding less than confident. "Follow me, please."

Blair quickly took off after Victoria, to no doubt share some of her ideas. Alexa came up next to me, as we too followed and leaned in slightly. "Do you think she can smile with her face being so tight and all?" she asked, pulling her face back to tighten it, pretending to be Victoria.

I covered my mouth to hide my laughing as best I could. "If she can, I'm sure it's rather painful and she dies a little inside," I suggested. "So, you think she'll be able to find something for my situation?" I asked, patting my stomach slightly.

"Well, if she can't, that's her problem, not yours," Alexa told me, giving me an encouraging smile. When we had caught up with Blair and Victoria, she instructed me to go with her and for Alexa and Blair to have a seat on the large couch, which was also white.

I followed Victoria back to the dressing rooms and she told me to take a seat. "Now, I don't see too many cases like yours in my shop, but I'm sure we can scrounge up something," she said. Scrounge up? That sounded promising. "Now, I'm going to go back to the storeroom and pull a few pieces that I think will do and then we'll get you into them to try them on." Without another word, she turned and left me sitting there by myself in a room filled with mirrors.

Trying to avoid the number of mirrors, I looked down at my hands that were resting on my stomach, which had become somewhat of an armrest for me lately. Not seeing myself being able to fit into any of the dresses that Victoria was busy searching for, I thought of one advantage of being pregnant for my wedding day. Mum had always wanted the first one of us to get married to wear her wedding dress. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I wasn't able to fit into it by any stretch. I loved my mother and just didn't have the heart to tell her that her dress was absolutely hideous and I was so glad that I didn't have to wear it.

Not only was I pumped to not have to wear it myself, but I also got the added bonus of having Mother say that Alexa would get the distinguished honor of wearing it on her wedding day. When Alex was informed of this, she went nuts, in private of course. But even though I dodged that bullet, I still felt I was before the firing squad in this place, and there was no way I was getting out alive.

Victoria reappeared, an assistant and several large dress bags in tow. She unzipped the first bag and pulled out a flowing lace gown, that I could already tell was entirely too small. The dress was okay, but it just didn't feel like me. The top of the dress had long sleeves that came to a point at the end and came up slightly around the neck. The skirt went straight down from the waist and only flared slightly at the floor. The assistant pulled me up from my seat, helped me out of my clothes and then held my hand as I stepped into the dress while Victoria began to pull it.

Once I got my arms into the sleeves, I could already feel the material stretching against my body. I looked in the mirror and the dress just looked so awkward on my body, I also felt like I was in a straightjacket. The lace conformed to every curve that was on my body and it just begged for a slim figure to rest on. As I turned to the side so Victoria could attempt to zip the dress, I looked in the mirror again and my stomach just stood out. The dress did a fabulous job at highlighting the fact that I was pregnant, just in case anyone forgot. It looked like I was smuggling a large ball in this thing. I almost felt like laughing, I looked so comical.

After much effort and an intense fight with the stubborn zipper, Victoria stopped and turned to me. "Now, this isn't quite your size, but we can at least get some idea of what it will look like," she told me. "I think it looks… lovely," she finished. "How about we go show your friends."

When I stepped before Alexa and Blair, there was nothing but silence. I could tell by their faces that Blair was trying to think of something positive to say and Alexa was simply trying to hold back her laughter. Eventually, Alexa's laughter got the best of her. "I'm sorry," she said through her laughter, "But you kind of look ridiculous." I wasn't even bothered by what she said, she was being honest, and I happened to agree with her.

Blair turned to her on the couch and hit her lightly on the arm. "Oh, come on, Alex," she started. "She doesn't look all that bad. I think you look very nice, Lyla."

"Well, thank you for that blatant lie," I told her with a smile. "It's okay though, I don't really like it anyways."

Blair took a deep breath and laughed. "Oh, thank Merlin, because if you had actually liked this, I would have had to talk you out of this one," she said with a smile. "Can we try some that are a bit less fitted?" Blair asked Victoria, who nodded and ushered me back to the changing room.

The next dress that Victoria presented to me was even more hideous than the first. The dress was made of silk and had the ugliest silk flowers around the hem of the skirt. I didn't feel as confined in this dress as the last one but it still just didn't look right. Victoria gave me a veil to put on in the hopes that it would somehow make the dress look better, but it didn't. The veil was immense and completely consumed the upper part of my body. As we walked out to show Alexa and Blair, I could barely see and almost tripped over a stool that was against the wall. I felt absolutely foolish.

I stepped onto the slightly elevated platform and pushed the material from my face in an attempt to see their faces. "Oh, my," Blair said looking shocked. Alexa's mouth was open slightly. It must have been bad because she wasn't even laughing.

"I'm just going to go back and change," I told them before that could say anything. "I feel like the Abominable Snowman."

"Yeah, I don't even know what that was," Alexa said, shaking her head in confusion. "Third time's a charm though, right?" I rolled my eyes at her and headed back, dreading what was to come.

"You know what I think the problem is?" Victoria said. "The color. I think the white is just washing you out, so I pulled this dress and we'll see how that works." I nodded in submission, but I could probably think of another reason why she thought white wasn't working for me. When she pulled the dress out of the bag, all I could see was peach. And let me tell you, I looked like a damn peach in that dress. Not only was the dress peach but also to make it worse, it was cover in ruffles, which mad me look even bigger.

Once again on the chopping block, I looked at my friends with disdain. "Do you know how much I hate you guys right now?" I asked. They just smiled back at me. "It's a lot, just so you know."

"I'm actually quite partial to this one," Alexa said jokingly. "The ruffles just make all the difference." Oh, I was going to get them back and I was going to enjoy it. I stepped off of the platform and walked over to the couch.

"All right, now it's your turn," I told them. "You go back there, find the most hideous dresses you can find and then come show me," I instructed. Alexa went to protest but I stopped her. "You're not supposed to fight with me, remember? Besides, if you don't go back there, I have absolutely no problem hexing you in front of these muggles. Don't test me Alex." Alexa threw up her hands in surrender and walked with Blair back to where the dresses were kept.

Victoria instructed her assistant to stay with me while she took Alexa and Blair to make them 'beautiful compliments to the bride.' The kind looking girl stood awkwardly next to the couch and watched me. After giving her a smile I said, "Please, come and sit with me, you're making me nervous." She apologized several times and hurried over to sit next to me. The jumpy girl reminded me a lot of Peter, maybe a little more together. "So, what's your name?" I asked, leaning against the couch.

"Cynthia," she said quickly. "But most people call me Cindy," she added.

"Well, nice to meet you, Cindy," I told her, shaking her hand. "So, tell me, what do you really think of this dress?" I asked. I could tell that she feared her boss would hear as I saw her look to the archway that led to the back of the shop. "Don't worry, this will be our little secret."

Cindy visibly relaxed and I saw a slight smile creep across her face. "I think it is one of the ugliest dresses I have ever seen, and I've seen a lot of ugly dresses," she confessed. I started to laugh at her honesty and couldn't stop. After a while she began to laugh with me and we began to mock the ridiculousness of the dress.

"Oh," I said, still laughing a bit. "Thank you for that, I needed a good laugh." I gave her a genuine smile to express my thanks.

"I want to apologize for how awful Victoria treated you," she blurted out, a serious look back on her face. "She had no right to say those things to you. And between you and me, I think she purposefully picked those terrible dresses."

I just waved her off. "No, worries," I assured her. "I've heard much worse, believe me. Unfortunately, it just comes with the territory. I'm sure it will all be worth it in the end." I looked down at my baby bump and knew in my heart that once the baby was here and Remus and I were married, none of the hurtful things anyone said would matter. "Hey, do you want to do me a favor?" Cindy nodded enthusiastically. "Go back there, and make sure some truly revolting dresses are picked out. Then you and I will have a good laugh." Without a word of question or protest, Cindy took off to find the dresses I requested.

Minutes later, Cindy reappeared and took her place back on the couch. She gave me a knowing smile and nodded her head to the platform where Victoria was now standing. "After Cynthia so kindly passed on the vision that you had for your bridesmaids, I have put together a collection that is going to blow you away," Victoria said, great pride in her voice. "Ladies."

Blair and Alexa emerged and I couldn't have imagined anything more hilarious. My two best friends stood before me in dresses of pink and orange. From the waist up the material was pink chiffon. There were ruffles around the collar and the ruffles extended down to the navel. But the ruffles didn't stop there. The sleeves flowed down the arm and constricted the wrist with a lovely ruffled cuff.

Where the ruffles stopped, there was a golden belt that shimmered slightly. But that was nothing compared to the skirt of the dress. It was as if some paisley material had swallowed orange and pink ink and then thrown up all over itself; in other words, totally tragic. It was a little hard to look at, to be honest. If that wasn't enough, the entire outfit was pulled together nicely with a short pink veil sticking out from the top of their heads. I patted Cindy on the knee in approval as we both looked on in amusement.

What I loved best about it though, were Blair and Alexa's faces. Blair was so cute trying to act like she actually liked the train wreck that she was wearing and Alexa was throwing daggers at me with her eyes. "I just love these!" I pretended as best I could. "Alexa, you look absolutely beautiful in this. And Blair, there are no words." Neither of them said anything. "Well, done Victoria," I praised. "Please, I'd love to see more." Victoria clapped her hands excitedly and pushed Alexa and Blair to go and change as Alexa mouthed telling me to piss off.

"You've got to be kidding me!" I heard someone yell from the dressing rooms. Something told me that the next dress was going to be good. Victoria appeared once more looking pleased. "Now, this next look I went with something very sunny. I thought it was fitting for your summer wedding," Victoria said as the anticipation built. Alexa and Blair came out looking like rays of sunshine and their faces looked like storm clouds coming to rain on the disasters that they wore on their bodies.

They wore a white tunic looking dress that was trimmed in a yellow so bright, that it actually looked like sunshine had been bottled and used for the dresses. One arm was sleeveless, but an ivory cape that was tied delicately around their necks covered the other arm; the cape also trimmed with the brilliant yellow. And to finish it off, there was a dazzling yellow flower tucked behind one ear.

I brought my hand up to my mouth and faked some crying noises. "I am speechless," I said, choking back my words. I looked to Alexa and I could tell she was getting impatient and wasn't enjoying this nearly as much as I was. "You two look like angels. This just may be the dress," I told Cindy, who was trying very hard to hold her laughter in.

"That's enough!" Alexa exploded. She ripped the cape from her neck and threw it to the ground. "You've had your fun, and now it's time to go." I couldn't help but laugh at this point. Alexa turned toward the dressing rooms and pulled Blair with her.

"Oh, come on, Alex!" I yelled after her. "Lighten up a bit." As Alexa stomped off, I looked over to Victoria who looked highly confused. Cindy helped me up off the couch and walked with me over to Victoria. "This has truly been fascinating and extremely helpful," I told her. "I definitely have a better idea of what I want." More like what I didn't want. "Thank you so much for your time." As I said this, Alexa stalked past behind me heading for the door. "Nice meeting you, Cindy," I added quickly as I headed to the dressing rooms myself to remove the peach dress.

Outside of the store, Alexa was standing, her hip cocked, and her eyes narrowed. I thought she was about to tear into me, but to my surprise she just began to laugh. "I can't believe that woman!" Alexa exclaimed. "Did she really think those dresses looked good?"

"I have no idea," Blair laughed out as we started down the street. "And I know I bugged you about going to look at dresses, but I am so sorry for taking you to that place," Blair told me. "I will definitely check into the place the next time we go dress shopping." Amongst all the hoopla, I didn't even realize that I still didn't have a wedding dress and would possibly have to endure this experience all over again. "Don't get discouraged though, Lyls," she told me, giving my shoulders a squeeze. "We will find you a dress and you will look absolutely beautiful."

"And if we don't find anything," Alexa added, "We'll come back to this place and get that peach dress." I shook my head and just laughed.

In an attempt to change the subject, I shifted the discussion to Alexa. "So, Alex, Sirius said that you two were doing good; I think that's great," I told her.

Alexa looked as if she wanted to jump into the street. She quickly took a breath and gathered herself. "Um, what exactly did he say?" she asked.

"Not much, he just said that he was glad that you guys were talking again and able to be around each other without too much weirdness," I explained. "He said things still weren't the same and that they may never be, but how could they be with all that happened?"

"Yeah," she said, trailing off in thought. "Things definitely aren't how they used to be, but that's life." She shrugged her shoulders and I could tell she wasn't trying to care too much. "It's better this way, no one gets hurt." There was something in her voice that told Blair and I not to press the issue any further.

When we arrived home, the boys were all there waiting for us. It was crazy how the boys had become an extension of our family. They were truly the sons my father never had and he loved every minute he spent with them. He said that they reminded him of he and his friends when they were that age. Alexa and Blair hurried into the living room to rest their tired legs as I closed the door behind us. Before I could even make to where the rest of my friends were gathered, Remus cam over to meet me in the foyer.

He had his hands behind his back and a smile on his face as he approached me. "Hello, my dear," he said as he leaned in slightly to place a sweet kiss on my cheek. He then pulled his hands from behind his back and in one hand he held a small cluster of English Bluebells. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face as he held the flowers out to me. "So, how was the shopping trip?"

"Terrible, but at the same time, mildly amusing," I told him as I allowed him to put his arm around me. "It was all just so hideous."

"I know I've said it before, but you will always be beautiful to me," he said, looking down at me. I gave him a smile and then rested my head on his chest.

* * *

_Sirius's Point of View_

As I waited to leave for Peter's house, I stood leaning against the wall by the foyer and found myself watching Alexa as she play fought with James, who had no doubt said something completely stupid. Alex and I hadn't had one of our 'encounters' in the past couple of days and to my surprise, it didn't really bother me; which bothered me.

I was a guy who was engaged in a friends with benefits relationship with a beautiful girl; I should be pissed that I wasn't getting any, but I just wasn't. It felt weird at first to be intimate with Alexa again without being in a relationship with her, but it was just sex, and I very much enjoyed our little arrangement. It was all purely physical, no emotions involved, the truly ideal situation for us. When it came to emotions, we just didn't seem to work.

Feeling my eyes on her, Alexa turned to look at me and I of course quickly looked anywhere else. As I pretended to study a painting that was hanging on the nearby wall, I snuck a peak back at Alex and saw that she was now walking over in my direction. When she got closer, though, she kept her head straightforward and walked right past me. Before she got too far away, she grabbed my arm, jerking me along with her. She pulled me to the small bathroom on the other side of the kitchen that no one ever used.

She closed the door behind us and clicked the lock. Before I could mutter a syllable, she pushed me back against the wall and covered my lips with hers. I was shocked for a second but quickly pulled myself together, grabbing her waist and pulling her closer to me. Our lips worked effortlessly together as she skirted her tongue across my bottom lip. Just as my lips parted, she pulled back abruptly, breathing slightly heavier than before. She stepped back from me and pushed the hair out of her face.

"Well, now that that's taken care of," she said, trying to gain composure. "What the hell have you been telling Lyla about us?" she asked, her eyes worried, teetering on anger, depending on what my answer was. "When we started all this, we promised that we wouldn't tell anyone, that's the only way this is going to work."

"I didn't say anything to her," I assured her. "I just told her that we were somewhat friends." Alexa let out a sigh of relief. "Don't worry, she doesn't know anything." Alex nodded and then turned to check her appearance in the mirror. "Alex, maybe we should—"

"No, Sirius," she cut me off promptly. "We're not telling anyone and we're not talking about it." There was no room for discussion in her voice. She wanted things to stay exactly as they were and I guess I was okay with it. "Things are good, stop trying to mess them up," she told me, looking at me in the mirror. She straightened out her outfit and then turned to face me. "Have fun at Peter's and when you guys get back we'll have a little meeting." She raised her eyebrows to make sure that I got the second meaning, and I did, loud and clear. She patted me on the chest and reached for the doorknob. "Wait a few minutes before you come out." Then she was gone.

As instructed, I waited a few moments before exiting the bathroom. Back in the foyer, Remus was kissing Lyla goodbye and James was jesting with Peter by the open door. "Ah, Padfoot," James said, "We can finally leave now that you've so graciously graced us with your presence." I gave my friend a sarcastic smile and slung my bag over my shoulder effortlessly. I gave Alex a discrete nod and then filed out of the Parker house behind Peter.

Once at Peter's, we quickly headed up to Peter's small bedroom and spread out. Inside the room with the door closed, we all fell into the familiar circle and began the meeting. Remus read the oath as always and we all swore to carry on mischief in our daily lives. We had been having Marauder's meetings so often lately, that we never really had much to talk about, but we all just enjoyed the tradition and brotherhood feel of it all. Plus, it gave James an excuse to act an even bigger prat.

"So, my fellow Marauders," James began, "I've been giving some things great thought lately; and I think there are some logistical things that we need to sort out."

"James, we're not getting membership jackets," I told him shaking my head. "We've all told you that is a ridiculous idea."

James turned to me and cocked his head to the side. "That's not what I was going to say," he informed me bitterly. "But you cannot even try to tell me that it wouldn't be completely badass to have jacket with giant letters reading 'PADFOOT' across the back and a majestic dog prancing about." Remus and Peter began to laugh at the prospect. "I'm not saying it's a done deal but I'm not taking it off the table quite yet."

"Will you just get on with what you wanted to talk about?" Remus asked.

"Of course, Moony. What we need to discuss actually concerns you," James told him. "Our Moony is getting married and is going to be a father sooner than we think. We are in uncharted territories my friends. While we have had girlfriends, some of us having more than others," he added looking at me, "A wife is a completely different thing. Now I know we have the pact of secrecy concerning anything that goes on within these meetings and concerning certain pranks, but does that extend to a person's spouse?"

Even though there wasn't much that Lyla, Blair or Alexa didn't know already, there were certain things that I had never even thought to reveal to Alexa while we were dating. Some things were just better kept between friends. "Marauder secrets will forever remain Marauder secrets," Remus said, to which James looked rather pleased. "There are frankly things that I never want Lyla to know about and I don't really think keeping them from her will make a huge difference. But I will have to tell her if we ever go out marauding from now on, I can't just leave whenever I want, especially when the baby gets here."

"Which brings me to my next point," James jumped in. "How exactly will succession of Maraudership go? Will our kids just take the reigns or will we handpick a select group of individuals to succeed us? It's our seventh year gentlemen, we need to start thinking about who we are going to leave our legacy to."

"Well, I don't exactly think that any of our kids are going to be ready to take over until they are in school, so I think it would be wise to get together a group that could carry on the tradition until our offspring are ready to live up to the challenge," I stated, logically.

"I second that," Peter said quietly, giving me a nod. I almost laughed at the thought of Peter having kids. He is so nervous around adults that I couldn't even begin to imagine how he'd be with children.

"Now, putting all official Marauder's business aside for a moment," I said, clapping Wormtail on the back, "How are you feeling about the wedding and the baby, Remus? How are things going with Lyla?"

"Money is tight," he said a bit sadly. "I hate for it to be like that, but that's just how it is. A lot of things are just uncertain. We've talked to Dumbledore a bit about what will happen at school when the baby comes, but I'm just not sure how that's going to work. Then we have to think about getting a place to live eventually because I know neither of us will feel right living with our parents. I think I can be a husband to Lyla, but I have no idea how I am going to be a father to our daughter."

I looked at my best friend with great sympathy. I could tell he was really struggling with this and wished I could make everything easy for him, but all I could do was just be there for him and help with what I could. I knew Remus would do the same for me if I were in his position. Honestly, I was extremely surprised that I hadn't found myself in that position. I had always been careful, but I just couldn't believe that my playboy ways hadn't come back to bite me in the ass. I did know that I sure as hell wasn't ready for kids right now, and I don't know if I ever would be. For the longest time I didn't even know what good parents looked like, not until I met James's parents. My parents were shit, and if for some reason I inherited their parenting skills, I definitely didn't want to bring a child into that hellhole.

"I also feel like shit because I won't be able to give Lyla all the things that she wants," Remus added.

"Moony," I said, jumping in, "You know that Lyla doesn't care about all that stuff. She's not that kind of girl."

"I know," Remus agreed. "But she deserves all of it, and it's just not possible. I really feel bad because I can't take her on a honeymoon. I think she really needs to get away for a while. Even though she hasn't told me, Alexa told me that she's been stressing out a lot lately and that she hasn't been sleeping. I wish she could have some time to not worry about anything and to just have some fun."

As Remus expressed his anxieties, my head was turning about what I could do. My mind was filling with all of these wonderful ideas and I knew exactly what I had to do. Rule 112 popped into my mind as I thought. Rule 112: If one wishes to surprise another Marauder, one must spare no expense and leave no stone unturned in the execution of the surprise.

Lyla and Remus were two of my best friends and two of the nicest people you could ever meet. They deserved to be happy, and I had just made it my personal mission to make sure that happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	3. Rule 87: Marauder Gift Giving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How so?” I asked while trying to comprehend what was going on here. Yes, I loved my sister to death and she was easy to be jealous of, but she was seventeen, unwed, and pregnant. Somehow, that didn’t seem like getting everything to me.

_Rule 87: When given a gift, Marauder's are to accept said gift with a exposure of teeth and a manly embrace, whether or not the gift is outrageously terrible or not._

_Alexa's Point of View_

"Now, we'll place a handful of either Jordan almonds or dinner mints into this little square, then pull the four edges together, and tie them into a bow with one of these ribbons. Then place them into the basket." Mrs. Potter explained to James and I as we nodded along and began to work. That had been hours ago, and as my ass started to grow numb from sitting on the wooden bench without moving, I sighed while placing a package of almonds into the white wicker basket at my side.

"I'm really starting to regret what I said earlier about almonds." I muttered while tying a perfect pink ribbon around a gauzy white square filled with those little decorated candy almonds that people always had waiting for them at weddings. James, who was next to me doing the same thing, only with purple ribbons and mints, huffed his agreement before tossing his pouch of mints into a pile.

Out of nowhere, a very irate looking Blair and Mrs. Potter surrounded him. "James, dear, if you are going to continue to cause a hassle with the décor then you can just go on with Sirius." His mother threatened. James looked like he was weighing his options for a moment and then shuddered. I tried and failed to raise an eyebrow while continuing to tie ribbons before James told his mother he wouldn't disfigure any more mints.

"What's so bad about going with Sirius?" I questioned as James got back to work beside me. "He's only going to cut magnolia from Mrs. Emerson's house. She seemed perfectly nice to me when I went down there to ask if she minded." I stopped tying as James burst into laughter, catching the attention of Remus and Lyla who were manually stuffing envelopes for the invitations. As much as my mother and father seemed to be getting used to the idea of the two getting married, I thought that having us do all this manual work was probably a bit of payback for getting pregnant and married at 16. Well, 17 really but no one really seems to be so caught up in that anymore.

As they took a break and came over to us, I moved the white basket full of mints and almonds to the side so my sister could sit down. While it was still sunny out, a feat for the English summer, it had cooled off some and she was wearing a very pretty pale-green sweater with a lacy camisole under it. Next to her, I felt like a slob in my ¾ length baseball shirt and cut offs. "What's so funny?" She asked while sitting down and running her hands through the packages.

Catching her eye, I sent her a small smile. She had been extremely stressed lately, with only five weeks until the wedding and still no dress, as well as getting the band together, picking out songs, making sure the cake was going to be ready, and decorating. Even though we had all been pitching in, it seemed as if we were going to be working down to the last minute. And I knew, even in the back of her mind, that she was somewhat upset over the fact that they wouldn't be getting a honeymoon, as they needed the money to eventually save towards a house and baby things.

"Well, Sirius went over to Mrs. Emerson's to cut down those branches and stuff for the church, right?" Remus said with a glint in his eyes that we only ever got to see on rare occasions. He shared a look with James, who grinned widely and as Blair joined us, Remus indulged us on why this was all so funny. "Mrs. Emerson has always been quite fond of Sirius, starting back in our fifth year when he once had to go streaking through the neighborhood."

"Oh, Merlin," I rolled my eyes, trying not to grin at the image of Sirius running starkers through the quaint little wizarding neighborhood. "What happened to cause this?"

"Marauder's secret." The two boys answered at the same time and Blair and I rolled our eyes while Lyla leant her head against Remus' shoulder with a smile on her face. "Anyway, ever since then, she's had quite the eye for our gray-eyed friend. And she uses any chance she can get to get him alone."

I felt my stomach drop somewhat and frowned to myself, trying to keep up a cool façade. No, there was absolutely no way I was going to let myself feel like I was jealous. That was just extremely stupid and would never happen. "So that's why she was so eager to have us use her trees? She knew there was a chance that Sirius would have to go over there. And he got chosen because Mrs. Potter said he wasn't pulling his weight with the guest bags?" Blair questioned with a smile and a slight laugh in her voice.

James nodded and I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips at the thought of Sirius' face when Mrs. Potter told him to go to the neighbor's and get the magnolia. "Bloody hell, he's going to kill all of you when he gets back." I said through my laughter and Lyla laughed before fixing a bow on James' mints he was still tying.

"Kill us? He's going to murder James for getting him in trouble in the first place!" She said and James just shrugged with that infuriatingly cute smirk on his face. How anyone could be mad at him, I'd never know. As my best guy friend, it was damn hard to do it, I'll tell you.

As we all sat, still slightly laughing at Sirius' predicament, I began to stretch my fingers and looked down at my watch to see that it was already two in the afternoon. James and I had been tying these damn party favors for over three hours without a break. "Well, I don't know about you lot, but I'm starved. When's mum getting here with the food?" I asked Lyla, who shrugged with her eyes closed, as she rested slightly against Remus.

"You feeling alright, Lyls?" Her fiancé asked and she opened her eyes blearily before pushing her bangs off her face and smiling at us. "Perfectly fine, love. I'm just a little tired. The wedding stuff has been stressing me out lately." She said nonchalantly, but I could tell by the way that Blair stiffened and Lyla avoided her gaze that something was going on. Knowing that Lyla wouldn't say anything until it was absolutely necessary, I stood up from my seat and directed my gaze towards Blair.

"Blair, will you come with me to the kitchen? I wanted to see what was for lunch and you seem to know how all the planning goes." I complimented, trying to coerce her into coming with me. Instead, she shook her head and picked at one of the mints in the pile before putting it in her mouth. If it had been anyone else, she would have ripped him or her a new one; she almost killed me earlier when I bit into an almond to see what the hype was about it.

Standing back up, she brushed her white shorts off from any dirt and tucked her pink button down back into the waistband. "I actually can't right now. Mrs. Potter needed me to check on something with the tent." And with that she was walking away, leaving James, Remus, and I to look after her with confused faces. Then, with a huff, Lyla stood from her seat and began to walk towards the table where the invitations were still lying. "Come on, Remus, we have to finish these." She muttered something under her breath before Remus began to follow her.

James and I looked at each other before I settled back into my seat. "What the hell was that all about?" James said and I shrugged, crunching down on another almond while Blair disappeared into the house. "I really have no clue, but I was serious when I said I was starving."

"Oh, I doubt that." I heard from behind us and James and I turned around, seeing Sirius standing there, his black hair mussed and his cheeks slightly flushed as he dropped an arm-full of branches onto one of the many tables set up outside. Then, with a sigh, he fell down next to me at the table and let out a staggered sigh/shudder. "I can not believe you all let me go over there! I was almost mauled to death by a 40 year old woman who is sexually unsatisfied by her prick of a husband."

Not being able to contain it, I burst into giggles as he ran a hand over his face, then reached behind me and slapped the back of James' head. "Oi, what was that for you slimy git?" James said in mock-outrage as his hand flew up to ruffle his hair back into place. "It's your own fault, you know? If you had just been a good little boy and hadn't been throwing the dinner mints," He trailed off as Sirius' eyes widened and he stood from the bench.

"Idiot! It was you that set me up; I knew it! Do you know what she did to me? That woman verbally harassed me. I thought she was just going to hex my clothes right off of me as I took those tree trimmers from the garage. And now I find out it was my best mate who set me up?" Sirius looked livid, but I could tell by the joking glint in his eyes, the one all the boys shared when they were about to pull something, that he wasn't really angry.

James jumped from his seat, taking off around the spacious back yard and Sirius took off after him, both boys forgoing their wands, even though they were both of age. Rolling my eyes, I quietly breathed a sigh of relief at the thought that Sirius wouldn't just throw his body at some random lady. Then, I berated myself by working harder at tying these stupid bows for thinking about Sirius staying monogamous. The point to this was that he and I were supposed to see other people; we were just keeping each other happy on the side.

Although, what would I do if he got a girlfriend first? Shaking my head clear of those thoughts, I looked up as there was a crash and Lyla and Remus began to laugh their faces off. Walking over to get a closer look, I couldn't help but laugh as well as Sirius sat on top of James, and James struggled to overcome the taller boy. "Say it, or I'll take you over there myself and tell her you'd like to take my place in her offers."

"I'll never say it!" James struggled while his eyes widened in horror as Sirius shook his head as if he was physically pained.

"Then this is just how it has to be." He said before pulling his wand out to put a hex on James, I'm sure. However, I never got to find out what James was supposed to say or what Sirius was going to do because just as our laughter had reached it's height, James and Sirius flew apart as Blair seethed slightly from the porch.

"Why aren't you all working?" She asked in a quietly pleasant voice, but I could hear the tone of danger in it as her eyes flashed. She was seriously pissed off at us. That much was obvious. I saw Lyla cross her arms over her chest, resting them slightly on her stomach before answering our best friend as James and Sirius spluttered away from where they were being held in the air.

"We were taking a break, Blair. Something I'm sure would do you some good as you're acting like a crazy person." She said while taking a step forward towards Blair.

Blair laughed while rolling her eyes. "Well, someone has to do the work because it's clear that no one else is going to get anything done. You should be thankful, Lyla, I'm doing all the work for _your_wedding." She crossed her arms as well, while Lyla let out a short, humorless laugh.

"You're doing the work because you basically just _took over_, Blair. This is _my wedding_, not yours!" Lyla said as her voice became louder and my two best friends began to let loose whatever they had been holding in. Remus and I looked at each other, not knowing what to do as James and Sirius dropped to the ground when Blair became too distracted to hold her wand steady. I was surprised that she had even used it. Since turning 17 at the beginning of the summer, she had only used magic a handful of time.

"A wedding where nothing would get done if it weren't for me planning everything! You weren't even going to look for a dress if I hadn't pushed you to do it. And nothing would even be done if it weren't for me telling you what to do. Weddings don't just plan themselves, Lyla!" Blair fired back and I watched as Lyla threw her hands in the air in frustration.

"I'm pregnant, not stupid, Blair. I know they don't plan themselves. And look where you pushing me has gotten us. I still have no dress and you adding all this pressure on me to pick things that I don't even really care about isn't helping me relieve the pressure. There are other things more important to me right now than planning a wedding! Remus and I didn't even want something big, but this is turning into a huge production." Lyla ranted while beginning to pace back and forth, and James and Sirius directed their attention to Remus, who stood shocked as Lyla continued to speak.

"You know what, Blair, I think you're just jealous that this isn't your wedding. Half of these ideas are yours. I wasn't even going to have invitations. Everyone I want to come is right here. A caterer is just stupid because we can make the food ourselves. You're making me waste money I don't have on things I don't want." Lyla said as she breathed heavily. Blair looked shocked before she dropped her ever-present clipboard on the grass and put her hands to her hips.

"Fine, Lyla. If you don't want my help, or the caterer, or the church, or the invitations, or the fucking wedding then don't have it! I don't care anymore. I was just trying to help because if I don't make the decisions then who will? Because it sure as hell hasn't been you." Turning around and stalking off, she disapparated with a pop once reaching the porch and we sat in silence as Lyla sagged slightly onto the bench as her heavy breathing evened back out.

Seeing her sit, I launched into action, hustling over to sit down next to her and putting my arm around my older sister as tears filled her eyes and she struggled against letting them fall. "Hey, she didn't mean it, Lyls. Everything's going to be okay. You're just under more pressure right now than we know what to do with." I tried to sooth her, but she shook her head and looked to Remus who stood next to her, still slightly stunned.

"Remus, I love you and I still want to marry you. I wasn't saying that," She started to cry and Remus ran a hand through his hair while smiling softly at the mother of his child and sitting down next to her. As she fell into his arms and he told her it was going to be okay, I stood from the bench and looked towards Sirius and James before tilting my head back to the house where we could give the couple some privacy to talk.

Once we were safely inside the kitchen, Sirius opened his mouth and asked the question that was on everyone's mind. "What in the bloody hell was that?" I shrugged my shoulders and looked out the window at Lyla and Remus who looked like they were deep in conversation. It also didn't look like it was the best conversation to be having at the current moment.

"Where do you think Blair went?" James asked from his seat on the bar and I turned my attention to the two boys who were looking at me like I held all the answers to their questions. "I don't really have any clue, James. I guess she went home, but as she's been frequenting between my house and yours, I really don't know where she would have gone."

I was a little worried that Blair had left like that. I knew that my sister and she had not seen eye to eye on everything that was going on with the wedding, but it wasn't like Blair to just run off during a conflict; that was more my thing. Blair had always been the girl that would say her piece and then everything would be fine again. This time, however, it seemed like the tension had been too much and seeing as it was Lyla's wedding planning we were doing, Blair had left instead.

"You don't think she would just be hiding out upstairs do you?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow and I stopped to think about this for a moment. Turning to look at James, who had a contemplative look on his face, I put my hands to my hips and then nodded at him.

"Well, she's your girlfriend, Potter. Are you going to go see if she's lurking around upstairs?" I asked with what I hoped was my most stern voice. James just nodded his head and pointed back at me.

"She's your best friend! You go check." He fired back and I faltered slightly. I didn't want to face her wrath if she was in a strop but I also didn't want to get between anything that was going on between Lyla and her, either. "She didn't look to be in the best mood." James mumbled and I tried hard not to roll my eyes. Tugging my t-shirt down and pushing my bangs out of my eyes, I straightened myself up and tried to look confident.

"I'll go. But I swear to Merlin if either of you hear me scream and don't come to my defense, I'll castrate you in your sleep. Are we clear?" I said threateningly. James rolled his eyes but shook his head yes, and Sirius barely glanced at me from his position by the slightly open door, as if he was listening to the conversation outside.

Feeling my gaze on him, he turned his eyes towards me and grinned wickedly. "Animagus." He said as if that explained everything. And it probably would have if he would freaking tell me what kind of animagus he was.

"Not that I would know." I muttered before turning from the kitchen and beginning to make my way up the staircase. Stopping at the landing, I looked down the hallway on both sides and tried to decide what room she could possibly be in. Skipping over the room at the end, Sirius', I looked towards the middle and counted down three. James' room was my first bet, so I made my way towards the door and knocked slightly. "Blair?" I questioned. There was no answer, so I opened the door, holding my breath.

Empty. Sighing, I shut the door to the extremely messy room back and then crossed my arms while leaning up against the wall. Trying to think of the room where she 'stayed,' not that she ever slept in that bed when James was right down the hall, I tracked my way down the hallway and pushed on her door. The bed was impeccably made, the yellow paint making the room just like sunshine and reminding me of Blair, and some of her perfume bottles were lining the dresser that I'm sure contained some of her clothes. There was not, however, a girl in the room beside myself.

Trying to rack my brain for places she could have gone if she wasn't hiding in the Potter's house, I sighed and sat down on the bed. It wasn't that Blair didn't have a home to go to, but it wasn't the most ideal place for her to live either. Born into a muggle family, Blair was semi-out casted from her home life; not because her parents didn't love her, but because she missed out on over half the year of their lives. Instead of going home for breaks, she stayed with Lyla and I. And usually, she chose our bustling house over that of her own home, where she was an only child to parents who thought they were younger than they really were.

I was about to get James to side-along apparate me over there when I heard the telltale sounds of crying from the open bathroom door. "Blair?" I questioned while walking over towards the door and seeing that it was a conjoining bathroom with the other room. Walking through the bathroom, I knocked on the door before opening it and walking into the greenest room I had ever seen. There, sitting on the middle of a forest green bed, was Blair.

Her mascara ran slightly, darkening the skin under her eyes and her hair was pulled off her face in a low ponytail. I could tell she had been crying when her blood shot, chocolate brown eyes met my green irises. "What's wrong, love?" I asked in a quiet voice while I went to sit next to her on the canopy bed.

Sniffling, Blair ran her fingers under her eyes before wiping them on her blue-jean capris. "It's nothing, really." She said while trying for a smile, but from the saddened look in her eyes, I knew better than to think she was okay. Giving her a look, she looked away before speaking again. This time, I could hear the tears in her voice. "It's selfish, I know, but I just feel like Lyla gets everything."

"How so?" I asked while trying to comprehend what was going on here. Yes, I loved my sister to death and she was easy to be jealous of, but she was seventeen, unwed, and pregnant. Somehow, that didn't seem like getting everything to me.

"I know what you're thinking. And it's stupid of me to be jealous, but Lyla's getting a wedding that she doesn't even appreciate. She gets to marry her dream guy and have a happy family and what do I get?" She asked and I scrunched my face up some while trying to think.

"You have James, Blair, who loves you and you've got friends and family who love you." I reasoned with her but she just shook her head at me.

Pulling her legs up under her, she smiled sadly at me while wiping her eyes again. "Friends, sure, I've got plenty of them. But James and I, who knows if we'll last forever,? He's only seventeen, Alexa; he doesn't know what he wants. But I do know. I know that I want to get married as soon as I get done with Hogwarts, and I want lots of little kids, and a huge family. It scares him." She said in a quiet voice and I tried to contain my shock at what she was saying.

Who the fuck knew what they wanted when they were still in school? I had no clue that I was going to end up with, if I even got married in the near future. I wanted a long, happy life of debauchery before even thinking of popping out a child. It was in that way that I didn't envy my sister. It seemed that Blair, on the other hand, wanted all these things sooner, rather than later. And now, she was sitting back and watching Lyla get what she wanted; her happy ending.

"You don't know that, Blair. James may decide that he wants to get married to you tomorrow, but you thinking like this isn't going to get you all anywhere." I told her, putting my arm around my best friend and giving her a hug. She sniffled again before trying to hold back tears.

"How did you know?" She questioned me. Giving her a look, she took a breath before expanding on her very broad inquiry. "How did you know when it was time to let go? Of Sirius, I mean." She elaborated and I felt my heart stutter for a second. She had no clue how untrue that question really was. Calming myself down, I took a breath before I answered her.

"For us, it was really easy when I knew it was over. I didn't trust him anymore and we were both sneaking around, going behind each other's backs; and as much as I dislike her, I don't really blame Laura, or Bree, or whoever the hell she was, because she made me see that maybe we just didn't work as a couple if we were that easily broken." I cleared my throat as my thoughts fell back on last school year, and I marveled slightly that so much had happened in so little time. "But I do know that it isn't time for you and James to be over. And if this wedding has him spooked, or your crazy party planning, or you being jealous of Lyla is causing you to have problems, then you need to take a step back and figure it out. Fighting with Lyla isn't going to help though."

She nodded at me and then wiped under her eyes one last time. Sighing, she got up and went into the bathroom where the sink turned on and then off, and when she walked out, all traces of running mascara were gone and save for the puffiness of her eyes, you'd never know she'd been crying. "I'm just going to hide out up here for awhile longer; I need to take a step back from party planning and everything for a bit."

Giving her one last hug, I sent a small wave towards her before opening the door and heading back towards the kitchen. Once I had reached it, I directed my attention towards James, who was eating a sandwich and perusing through a Quidditch magazine. "Uh, James, where has everyone gone?" I asked as I took a seat beside him. Lowering his magazine, James looked around and shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, you've been up there for quite a time, Al. Your mother came and took Lyla home to look at some catalogue or another, Remus and Sirius went to Pete's house to save him from his dear Grandmother, and I suppose Blair is upstairs still." Turning his eyes back to his reading material, he began to move his eyes back and forth over the page while I looked at him in disbelief.

"You are truly an outstanding individual, James Potter." I said while snagging a bite of his sandwich. How one person could be so nonchalant about everything and not phased at all by what had just happened today was beyond me. Rolling my eyes, I snagged the magazine from his hand and tossed it on the counter, ignoring his outcry. "Shove it. Now, listen here; you are going to go upstairs to the hideously Slytherin room that resides in this house and console your girlfriend. She needs you right now and unless you want me to expose very embarrassing material about you to the world, you will do as I say." I threatened.

James, knowing I had nothing incriminating on him at this time, rolled his eyes but got up anyway and began to exit the kitchen. "Crazy wench," He muttered before leaving me in the kitchen alone. Smiling, I pulled the magazine and his plate towards me, and then finished his sandwich while looking at the new Chaser of the Hollyhead Harpies.

"Took you long enough to get here." Sirius said as he held the door to his room open for me. I rolled my eyes before shrugging my jean jacket off and throwing it towards the chair sitting in the corner of the room. Bouncing on his bed as I crossed my legs, I turned towards him while trying my best to raise an eyebrow. He laughed at my fail before coming to lie next to where he was facing me as I continued to sit cross-legged.

What was weird about this whole thing was that even though I had come here for one thing and one thing only, I knew we were going to have a chat before doing so. Which both made my heart drop and stutter at the same time? Friends had chats all the time, but when you added sex into the mix, it was looking a lot like a relationship by the minute. As much as I loathed admitting that I liked the idea and I liked being in a relationship with him, it had nearly destroyed me last time. I couldn't let that happen again.

Deciding we couldn't talk or discuss anything, I crawled over to him before straddling his hips and putting my hands on either side of his chest so I could hold myself as I leaned over him. "Are you really going to reprimand me for being late?" I asked innocently while biting my lower lip and he acted like he was thinking about it while I continued. "I mean, the Potter's are out, Blair is gone, we have this big bed all to ourselves," Trailing off, I smiled as he reached his hands up to slide from my waist to my hips.

"Oh, I don't know, Alex. You were really late." He sat up, keeping me steady, and before he could get the upper hand, I set my lips to work and began to kiss his throat, under his ear, and along his jaw line. It seemed, however, that nothing was going to deter him from his current train of thought. "What was up with Lyla and Blair today, anyway? Lyla left almost in tears, Blair was holed up in James' room for like three hours, and Remus looked fit for murder when we left Peter's earlier."

I hm'ed, trying to get him to focus on something else as I tugged his shirt over his head, but the damn kid would not shut up. "And I don't see why they were fighting over this wedding anyway? I understand that it's Lyla's wedding, but Blair is planning everything so they don't have to hire a wedding planner. But I get that they could save money without the fancy caterer," He trailed off as I pushed him roughly back onto his back.

"Will you shut up?" I asked while pulling my own shirt over my head. He closed his mouth for a moment and I was finally satisfied as he reached up to kiss me, and tangled his fingers in my hair. However, just when I thought we were going to get back to business, he pulled back and opened his mouth again.

"Don't you think Lyla and Blair should apologize to each other? Personally, I think it's Lyla in the wrong because she was the one that wanted to get married but now she's all skittish and stressed and Blair is just trying to help out." Letting out a huff of frustration, I rolled off of Sirius and jumped off the bed, grabbing my shirt as I did so. "Where are you going?" He asked confused while sitting up and raising an eyebrow.

Shrugging my arms back into my sleeves, I righted it before grabbing my jacket off the chair. "Home. If you're just going to sit there and talk incessantly, I'm going to call it an early night, shower, and go to bed." I said while I pulled my hair out from under the collar of my jacket and pulled it over my shoulders. Swinging his legs off the bed, Sirius came over to me and put his arms around my waist while turning me to face him.

"I'm done talking." He said before reaching down to kiss me. I moved my head to the side just as he was about to reach my lips and he pulled back, looking down at me in confusion. "What is it now?" He asked as his good mood began to quickly dissolve.

"You insulted my sister, Sirius, and no matter my opinion on the matter, that kind of pisses me off." I told him while he dropped his arms and took a step back. Merlin, I couldn't believe we were about to do this. "I'm going home now before we start to fight over something stupid."

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea." He said while slipping his shirt back on and opening the door for me. I felt my jaw drop slightly when I realized he was basically throwing me out, even though I did say that I was going to leave just a few moments before. "I'm not going to start something I know I can't win." He muttered under his breath and I clamped my jaw shut again while standing with my hands on my hips.

"Oh, suck it up," I said while passing by him, my good mood completely gone now as I just wanted to go back to bed. He followed me down the stairs to where I opened the Potter's front door, surprised slightly to see James reaching to open it. Ignoring him, I turned over my shoulder, as I walked down the front steps. "Well, bye!" I shouted and Sirius rolled his eyes before yelling back and equally pissed off reply. "See ya later." He said with so much sarcasm in his voice it sounded like he was slurring.

Turning away from the Potter's, I made my way towards the curb and stuck my wand out with my right hand for the Knight Bus to take me back to my house. From behind me I heard the door to the house shut and I crossed my arms while taking the stairs and paying my fare to get back to my house. Boys were just so thick sometimes.

* * *

"Well, this is fucking awkward." James stated as we all sat in the little Muggle café just outside of the busiest shopping centers in London the next day after the huge blowout between Lyla and Blair. It seemed as if not only had there been a rumble between Sirius and I, but also between Sirius and Remus as well. The only people in the group that weren't mad at someone else was James, who was sitting between Blair and I with a bored look on his face, and Peter, who was sat across from Lyla and looked like he'd rather be anywhere other than here.

"Thank you, James, for that very astute revelation." Lyla said with a roll of her eyes as she placed the menu she was holding in front of her down on the plate that rested on the table. We hadn't ordered yet and were all sitting around the table waiting in a relative silence before James had spoken up.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Blair stiffen and glare across the table at Lyla. "Don't be rude to James, Lyla." She snapped at her and I felt my hands clench, as I knew the battle was about to ensue.

"Don't tell me what to do, Blair." Lyla said back just as quickly and suddenly the two were glaring at each other from across the table. Putting my head in my hand and leaning with my elbow on the table, I scanned the occupants of the café to see if they noticed that everyone was getting their knickers in a wad over where we were placed. It looked relatively calm so I decided to voice my opinion on the matter before anything else went down.

"As Maid of Honor, I think we should all just calm down and eat a good meal before we go shopping for dresses and the boys leave us to go to the tux shop. Who's with me?" I tried to sound bright and cheery but all I got in return were two steel glares from my sister and Blair, and a small pat on the shoulder from James.

I wished I hadn't said anything as Blair turned her gaze to me with a sharp look in her eye. "I don't think it's time for your opinion now, Alexa, since as Maid of Honor you haven't really stepped up to do anything yet, have you?" She asked with acid basically dripping off of her tongue and I tried not to feel the sting of her glare and her words as I turned to look at my silverware that was still folded up on my plate. Biting down on my lip, I tried not to let the harsh words on the tip of my tongue loose knowing that if I was to resolve this issue between my friends I had to be calm, cool, and collected.

"We're all doing as much as we can here, Blair. So if you would please just calm down," Remus started in his most logical voice and Blair rolled her eyes at him before crossing her arms over her chest when she finished throwing her menu to the table. Merlin, where the hell were the waitresses when you needed someone to break up the tension in the room?

"Oh, whatever, Remus." Sirius said while flicking his hair out of his eyes with a twist of his head. "Everyone needs to give Blair a fucking break. She's not the only one acting tetchy here." He cast a pointed look at Lyla, who dropped her jaw and then clenched it quickly and Remus puffed up his chest as if he and Sirius were going to take this outside. From beside me, I heard James make a noise in the back of his throat and everyone looked up as a pretty waitress with brunette curls and hazel eyes descended upon the table.

"Hi there! What can I help you all with today?" She said in a peppy voice that was full of charm. On any other day, I would have been thankful to have such a great person wait on us; today, however, was not her lucky day.

Smiling fakely at the waitress, Lyla looked up at her and asked in a sugary sweet voice, "What's the best thing on the menu for an uptight friend with a jealous streak?" She then turned to Blair and smirked as the waitress looked taken aback for a moment.

"Actually, I'd like to know what your specials are for ungrateful little bints that use their so-called best friend to take on all the responsibilities of a wedding and then never say thank you?" With her own smirk, Blair and Lyla faced off again as Sirius and Remus started to bicker back and forth with each other. While Blair and Lyla began to raise their voices at each other, James tried to calmly tell everyone that this was totally embarrassing, and Peter cowered in fear for his life (not that I blame him), I turned to the waitress and tried to offer her an apology but she was too busy watching the scene with wide eyes to notice anything was going on.

Finally fed up and starving, I stood from my chair, which made a rather loud noise and brought almost everyone's attention to our table, including those that weren't even in on the conversation. "Stop it!" I yelled in the most stern, high-pitched voice I could gather within me. Slowly, I felt six pairs of eyes land on me as my friends pulled themselves from their arguments. "You all need to get off your high horse and realize that the world doesn't revolve around you. Blair, we're all thankful for what you've done, even if we're not constantly singing your praise. Lyla, I understand that this is your wedding, as does Blair, and we're all just trying to help you out even if you find it overbearing at time.

"Remus, I'm sorry for whatever has happened that has made you pissed off, but I'm sure it's nothing that can't be fixed with an apology and maybe a hug. Sirius, I'm sorry we had a feud but it's just what happens. Also, whatever happened between you and Remus, get over it. You're both best friends and everyone is running on high tensions lately. James and Peter," I turned towards them, and then paused. "Well, I guess just thanks for being here."

As everyone sat, silent, and watched me as I stood there, I suddenly realized that I had just shouted all of this in front of the whole restaurant. "Are we ready to order now?" I heard our waitress ask. Looking around, I sighed and pushed my hair out of my face, knowing that with the wind it was going to be a long day for appearances and an even longer day for shopping.

"I'm not hungry." I said while sliding from my spot at the table and making my way out of the café. As I leaned against the brick wall outside and watched as people walked by, I put my arms around myself and pulled my long-sleeves down more. I wasn't sure what was causing the bad weather as of late, but I hoped that it, as well as the bad moods everyone was in, would dissipate by the time the wedding rolled around. Suddenly, there was movement next to me.

Looking over, I saw that Lyla and Blair were standing next to me, each with small, sheepish smiles on their faces. "I'm sorry I put you in the middle of all of this, Al. I'm just really stressed out from the baby and the wedding and life in general that I forgot to take a step back and just realize how great all of this is."

"Yeah, and I'm sorry that I called you a bad Maid of Honor. You've done just as much as the rest of us have on this wedding." Blair said and I sighed, then smiled and opened my arms as we all hugged it out. I heard the bell on the door tinkle as the boys joined us outside. With a sheepish shrug, Sirius joined in on our hugs, placing a brotherly kiss on Lyla's head as he apologized.

"One could say we've been banned from that restaurant." He said with a smirk and I rolled my eyes at him before smiling slightly as he raised his eyebrow at me in question. With that brief exchange of non-words, our little group of friends began to make our way down the street in search of the dress shop that Blair and I had researched a few days after the first dress fiasco. The tux shop was right next to the dress shop and we had quite a ways to walk before we'd make it there.

As Blair and James led the way, James' arm wrapped around Blair's shoulder as her own arm was wrapped around his waist, all former tension was forgotten while Lyla and Remus held hands and talked loud enough about the wedding and the baby things they'd bought the other day with Blair who was talking over her shoulder towards them. Feeling someone fall into step beside me, I looked over and up, assuming it was Sirius but smiled slightly when I saw Peter standing on my left.

"What's doing, Peter? You're pretty quiet today." I mused and he let out a slight squeak at my direct question. Seriously, this kid was more jumpy than a dementor at Disney Land. I was about to state this when I felt an arm wrap around me from my right and turned to look at Sirius, who was smirking down at me and letting his fingers play in my low side ponytail. "Sirius." I said with a bored tone in my voice and he looked put out for a moment before he went on talking while Peter watched us.

"Well, seeing as we are the Best Man and Maid of Honor for this little shindig, I was thinking we should get together later this afternoon and possibly work on Lyla and Remus' wedding gift and their bachelor and bachelorette parties?" He sent Peter a wink over my shoulder before bending down slightly to speak in my ear. "I was also hoping you'd help me christen my new house seeing as we didn't really get a chance to talk yesterday." I felt myself blush at his language and was about to answer his inquiry when Blair cleared her throat.

Looking up and away from Sirius, who was still resting his arm around my shoulder and comfortably smirking to himself, I caught Blair's eyes before laughing in what I hoped was a normal way before elbowing Sirius rather harshly in the ribs. He lost his breath and raised an eyebrow while wrapping his arms around his middle. "Jesus, Black," I said in a playful way while rolling my eyes for our audience.

"Mhmm." Blair and Lyla said in unison while I smiled at them. James smirked at me and I turned to my only friends left, Peter and Remus. Peter was smirking at me as well, which in and of itself was weird, and Remus just shook his head with a smile on his face. "Well, I think this is where we separate. We'll meet back outside in a few hours, alright?" Lyla asked them and they all groaned but agreed.

"Think about it." Sirius said as he passed me and I sent him an evil glare, which he didn't see because he was already walking into the shop. Crossing my arms over my chest, I sighed as Lyla took one arm and Blair the other while dragging me into the dress shop. "We will be talking about this." Blair said while the Matron of the store smiled at us happily.

"Hello! You must be the Parkers." The woman said. Unlike the last person we met, this lady zeroed in on Lyla, her wedding band, and her protruding stomach. "Bride. I'm Jennifer Brand, owner of this fine boutique." She said with a wide smile before swooping in and grabbing Lyla's arm while pulling her off to the side. The woman, whose graying hair was pulled back off of her face with a bone-clip, looked just like someone who would shuffle you to a table and make you eat a nice big home cooked meal. Instantly, I saw Lyla warm up to the woman and start talking about Baby Lyla and when she was due.

Blair and I set to work on pulling dresses while the lady took Lyla into the back to look at some of the gowns for the bride. Pulling out a hideously bright yellow dress, I held it to myself with a smile and blinked my eyes a few times. "What do you think? Wouldn't I look scrumptious as a banana?" I asked Blair who just rolled her eyes while laughing at me and then pulled a maroon tube dress that had a large sash around the midsection.

"Well, if I was going for the look of slaggy whore then this would be perfect." She giggled out and we made faces at each other before a cough from the front of the store startled us and we guiltily put the dresses back on the designated rack. Standing on the small raised platform in front of about a thousand mirrors was the woman from before. "Sorry." Blair said sheepishly and with another wide smile, the woman hustled us over to stand by the mirrors.

"Not to worry dears; those were picked by my loving, but essentially colorblind, daughter. I think we could find you both something much more fitting, but first let's take a look at the bride, shall we?" I nodded eagerly and took a seat on the couch that was provided while Mrs. Brand called for Lyla to come out.

Looking beautiful as always, but slightly uncomfortable, Lyla came out into the room and I smiled at her. The woman had taken her hair out of its clip and it was now falling in slight waves over her shoulders where it had grown out. She cautiously swept part of it behind her ear before smoothing the sides of the A-line dress out. The simple, white dress was really pretty; it slid seamlessly over her protruding stomach while billowing slightly with some ruffles at the bottom and the lace ¾ length sleeves were dainty and sweet. It wasn't, however, the dress I would picture Lyla in for her wedding.

"You look really beautiful, Lyls." I said encouragingly. These dresses weren't insane, so I would feel bad if I said something to offend her and she really had liked the dress; unlike the last time we went shopping and the dresses were just hilarious. Lyla turned to look at herself in the mirror, giving us a view of the back of the dress, which zipped up and was clipped back to fit her correctly.

Picking at the sleeves, Lyla turned back to us and smiled slightly. "I just don't think this one is it. I'm not really feeling like a bride." She sighed sadly and Mrs. Brand immediately swooped in to help her down from the platform. "Not to worry, love, there are plenty more where that came from. Be back in a tic." She said before shuffling Lyla away and leaving Blair and I to sit and relax as Lyla continued to change into dresses.

A few moments later, Lyla came out with a dress that was once again, not the one. As we reached an hour of looking, and about 5 dresses later, she was beginning to get frustrated. It was then that Mrs. Brand called me back to the dressing room while she and Blair went in search of the Grecian Style bridesmaid dresses that Lyla had said she wanted.

"You clothed in there, Lyls? I don't want to pop in and see something I shouldn't have seen." I called while knocking shortly on the door. Laughing faintly, the door twisted open and I came in to see Lyla standing in the middle of the room in a cream colored wedding gown that was way too big. "Well there's the problem. It looks big enough to fit Sluggy!" I said jovially, trying to get a smile from my sister.

"Maybe so. I don't know, Alex. I thought maybe it was the color; like I shouldn't be wearing white because I'm already pregnant." She explained at my confused look. I went to respond and tell her she was stupid but she cut across me. "Maybe it's just that I'm not supposed to wear some fancy dress. Is this punishment from karma for going about this all ass backwards? Child first, then marriage?" She asked me while frantically beginning to twirl her hair around her finger.

Sitting her down on the chaise that was in the room, I extracted her finger and held her hand while squeezing. "Listen to me, Lyla Parker. Karma is not punishing you. You will find the dress you want, you will wear white, and you will be the happiest, prettiest bride in all of London. Because you deserve that." I told her and she nodded her head.

"But if I deserve it, why can't I find it?" She asked me and I thought about it for a moment before I found something to say.

"Because none of these are the perfect one. When you try it on, you'll know for sure. And until then, you just have to buck up and deal with the knock-offs. It will all pay off in the end. Just think of what dress you want to be wearing when Remus rips it off of you later." I gave her a wink and she laughed while swatting at me. Jumping back, I stepped out of the dressing room as she got up to close the door.

A few minutes later, she came out wearing her street clothes and rested a hand on her stomach while looping her arm through mine and walking with me back to the front of the store where Blair was shopping with the matron of the place. Seeing her arms full with colors, I raised my eyebrows at the numerous dresses they were both holding.

"You don't think she's really going to make you try all of those on, do you?" Lyla asked me in a slightly horrified voice. "I mean, I know I said Grecian, but the one that Blair is holding now has a bow on it; a bow, Alexa." She sounded slightly horrified and I tried to hide my own grimace as the two turned to us and smiled widely.

"Not all of these are ours." Blair said while holding the dress with a nice, hideous bow on it out to Lyla. "We figured if we have to try on some dresses for the wedding, we want you trying on bridesmaid dresses as well. I mean, one day you'll be wearing them at our weddings, right?"

At this, Lyla smiled and took the proffered dress, even though we all knew she'd hate actually wearing that. "And who will you be standing next to at this wedding of yours, Blair?" I asked cheekily as she shoved a mountain of tulle into my arms. I tried not to get a mouthful of the stuff as we walked back to the changing rooms Mrs. Brand shoved us towards.

"Someone perfect." She answered back just as cheekily but I saw her cheeks burn slightly. "Who's standing next to you at yours?" She questioned me and I pretended to think about it before smiling widely at them.

"Why, Rhett Butler, of course." I said in my best Southern Belle accent as I referenced one of my favorite books. They rolled their eyes and as I slipped into the changing room and grabbed at one of the dresses, I tried to keep the flash of ebony and grey out of my mind's eye. Prick.

A few wardrobe changes later, Blair and I stood side by side in the mirrors that lined the viewing area and looked at the most comfortable, flattering dress I had ever worn. They were the same color now, although I knew Lyla wanted us in two different colors, but that could be easily changed with a bit of magic. I turned to Blair, who I could see felt the same way as she ran her hands daintily along the straps.

The dress was Grecian, to Lyla's specifications, and featured draping material along the bodice and skirt before it was wrapped just under the bust by two subtly sparkling bands which rose over our shoulders and made an 'x' in the back. "These are so perfect." I said as I slid my hands along the material with a longing look in the mirror. Blair and I had pulled our hair off of our faces into high ponytails as we had gotten changed so our long locks wouldn't get in the way and we shared a look in the mirror.

"Those are it." Lyla said in a slightly choked voice while smiling happily at us in the mirror. With a squeal, she launched herself at us and we all embraced in a happy, bouncy hug. "You're getting married." I said as if it was new news and our shrieking continued as Mrs. Brand clapped her hands happily.

Later after we had had our measurements taken so the dresses could be fitted correctly, we exited the store with one last goodbye at the matron and headed towards the ice cream shop across the street. As we all talked happily and entered the shop, I smiled to myself as I saw the boys sitting at a booth near the back, our ice creams already seated for us. Things were definitely starting to look up.

* * *

"It's so weird to think that you're going to be living here." I said as I trailed my hands along the fully furnished, two bedroom flat that Sirius was signing the papers on. He stood at the kitchen counter, chewing on his bottom lip as he read over the contract that the realtor had left for him. The keys were sitting next to him, along with a list of recommended wards to put over the flat, and he was to drop off the contract the next morning when he was finished.

Seeing his slightly worried look, I made my way into the kitchen, sliding on the hardwood in my socks and skidding to a stop behind him. Even my clumsiness couldn't pull him from his stupor and I slid my arms around his waist while putting my forehead on the back of his t-shirt and taking a deep breath. As his cologne filled my senses, he heaved a sigh and then I felt his arm move as he signed the paper with a flourish.

"Well, this flat is now officially bought and paid for." He said with a hint of glee in his voice. Letting go and stepping back, I smiled broadly at him while he turned around, feeling some excitement in my own mood. "I feel considerably lighter." He commented and I laughed while wrapping my hands around his neck and tilting my head up to meet his eyes. In return, his arms came around me and we stood in the kitchen like a happy little couple.

"Considering what you paid to actually buy the flat, I wouldn't doubt if your pockets were feeling a bit lighter." He rolled his eyes at me before tilting his head down and capturing my lips in a slow kiss. When we broke apart, he sent me a wink before extracting himself from my hold and beginning to walk around the apartment. Running my hand through my hair, I leaned against the floating island in the kitchen and watched, as he looked at all the different gadgets.

Because the realtor had absolutely loved James and Sirius, thinking they were obviously much older than they really were, she had finagled him a deal to get the apartment furnished, meaning towels and kitchen tools as well as furniture and a muggle television. The furniture was a dark leather sectioned couch as well as some tasteful lamps and side tables, and it looked a little more homey than I had always imagined Sirius' bachelor pad.

"It's really something, isn't it?" He said as he came back from down the hallway where he had checked out the master bedroom and the guest room. "It needs some personal touches, but I'm sure Lyla will be able to fix that up." I felt my brow furrow. Why would Lyla be decorating his apartment? Coming to stand on the other side of the island, he rubbed his thumb between my eyebrows and smoothed out my brow. "Want to know a secret?"

Confused, I propped my chin on my hand and tilted my head some. "Sure. I'm starting to get a bit confused by your whole third person objective view of the flat." I said with a slight smile and leaning closer, Sirius lowered his voice while gesturing for me to lean in as well.

"This isn't my apartment." I opened my mouth to voice my concerns about how this kid was most likely insane, when he put a finger to my lips to silence me. "This isn't my apartment because I just bought it for Lyla and Remus." He grinned fully and I felt my heart swell after the shock and confusion wore off. He had bought, and furnished, this apartment for my sister and his best friend. One less thing they would have to worry about. More money for them to use and focus on the baby or a honeymoon. One less thing to stress about. Feeling my eyes tear up, I practically danced around the counter before jumping into Sirius and kissing him thoroughly.

"You are so amazing right now." I said breathlessly as I just squeezed him and he laughed before taking me by the waist and putting me on the island top. As we kissed again, I let my fingers sift through his dark hair as he slipped his fingers under my t-shirt. His lips left mine as he began to trail kisses down my throat and I sighed happily before opening my eyes and looking around. "Sirius, we can't defile Lyla and Remus' counter tops." I laughed and he looked at me with dark eyes before he tapped his cold fingers against my bare skin.

Shivering as he pulled back and combed his fingers through his hair again, this time to fix the mess I'd made, he let me jump down before smirking. "Well, we certainly can't defile their room either, can we?" He said cheekily and I rolled my eyes before grabbing his hand and beginning to pull him out of the flat. "Where are we going?" He asked as he flicked his wand to turn out the lights and grabbed the key and the contract off the counter.

"You just bought my sister a flat. I can't be expected to keep this a secret." I told him and he laughed before stepping outside the door and taking a quick look at the sheet. With one last wave of his wand, the wards on the flat were made and he wrapped his arms around me again. "Well, then, I guess we need to get to your house and quick."

With a quick spin and a quiet, which was unusual for him, pop, we were standing on my front porch. Extracting myself from his grip, I was about to open the door when it was pulled open and Blair stood with a hand on her hip as Remus came up behind her. "Where have you all been? We're all starved and your mother is making us wait for you two." She raised an eyebrow at us as Remus laughed and pulled her back out of the way.

Taking Remus' arm and ignoring Blair, who was chewing Sirius out about being late, to which he replied she had just eaten three hours ago, I smiled at my future brother-in-law. "Why, might I ask, are you smiling at me so creepily?" He asked me with a smirk and I just laughed while pushing through the door into the kitchen where most of the Parker side, as well as my friends and parents, were sitting.

"Because, dearest Lupin, Sirius and I have an announcement to make." I said with a grin and Uncle Scott looked around the table quickly before addressing me in a stern but teasing voice. "Merlin, if you say you're running off and getting married too I'm going to have to have a talk with this boy." He said and I laughed as Sirius came through the door behind us and defended himself.

"That is definitely not the news. It actually involves Lyla and Remus." Sirius said with a smile. Remus, who had taken his seat next to Lyla again, turned towards us and sent us both a questioning look; as did my mother and father. James, who was entertaining Claire by putting raw noodles on his nose and trying to balance them, sent Sirius an eye roll. "Well, Alexa, would you like tot ell them?"

Tossing the key at the couple with a 'heads up,' I couldn't help the slight giggle that escaped. "What's this all about?" Lyla said while holding up the flat's key and furrowing her eyebrow. Trying to act like I was so put out, I rolled my eyes and let out a huff.

"What does it look like, Lyls?" I countered and she widened her eyes while looking at Remus. He didn't see her however as he rose from his seat and looked at Sirius with a slightly aghast expression. "Padfoot, you didn't. Please tell me this isn't what I think it is." He was coming around the table now to where Sirius was standing with his arms crossed in front of his chest. Sirius shrugged and with just the slightest hint of tears in his pretty blue eyes, Remus and Sirius hugged tightly, but in a manly way.

I hear Sirius whisper something that sounded a lot like a rule, before Lyla came over and slapped Sirius upside the head before hugging onto him tightly. "You're such a stupid bint." She said through tears. Sirius smoothed her hair down in a brotherly fashion before all hell broke loose in the kitchen.

"I can't believe you did this!"

"Sirius, that was so kind!"

"This is too much."

"I want to move in too!"

I watched as they all got up and freaked out, my mother and Lyla gushing about decorations while Sirius clasped my dad's hand and I felt my dad really appreciate my…friend…for once. I was smiling and laughing along with the rest of my family before I realized one thing. Lyla was moving out. My sister was leaving. No longer would she be across the room for me. Luckily for me, no one really noticed me swipe quickly under my eyes. This was going to suck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	4. Rule 157: No Pregnant Heavy Lifting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Do I have to?” I asked. Remus just placed a kiss on the top of my head and nodded. I pushed open the door slowly and saw Alexa sitting at the bar stabbing a piece of pie my mother had made the night before. I went to the side of the island across from her and watched as she assaulted the flaky crust. “So…”
> 
> “I’m pretending that this is your face,” she informed me dully.

_Rule 157: Never Let A Pregnant Woman Wield a Basket_

Lyla's Point of View

* * *

"I can't believe this place is all yours," Blair gushed as she placed one of the many boxes on the counter in the kitchen. "You and Remus are really starting to be a family." She gave me a smile and took off down the hallway to where James, Peter and Remus were doing 'safety inspection' as they called them, in the baby's room. James had apparently done some research and saw everything as a health hazard to the baby.

As I looked around my new house, I suddenly became overwhelmed and quickly found a chair to sit down in. This was all becoming so real and I hadn't really had time to just sit and let it all sink in. I was moving out of my parents' house and starting my own household, and even though I tried to act calm and collected, I wasn't sure if I could do it. Leaning forward onto the kitchen table, I heard the door open and saw Sirius and Alexa walk in. Alexa had a sour look on her face and Sirius just shook his head at her as he closed the door behind them. I gave them a warm smile and then looked to Alexa. "Blair is back in the baby's room with James, Remus and Peter," I told her. She gave me a noncommittal nod and then passed by with a slight mumble. For the last couple days Alexa had been acting weird and moody and I had no clue what her problem was. And any time I asked she just gave me some short bullshit response and stalked off.

Sirius and I both watch Alexa as she disappeared to the baby's room and then I let out a sigh when she was gone. Sirius took the seat next to me and gave me a comforting smile. "How're you doing, kid?" he asked.

"Fine," I partially lied. "I can't say the same for my dear sister. What's wrong with her?" I questioned.

He laughed slightly and shrugged his shoulders. "You think she tells me anything anymore? I'm lucky if she talks to me most days," he said. "I wouldn't worry about her too much. She will eventually want to talk about it." Easier said than done. I always worried about Alexa, whether I wanted to or not. "The place is looking great, Lyls." I looked around the warm yellow kitchen and nodded my head in agreement. We were pretty much all moved in, but I still felt a little uneasy about the whole thing.

"It's not too late to take it all back, you know," I told him. Part of me wanted him to take it back. Part of me wanted to move back into the room I had spent my childhood in and pretend that none of this was happening.

"Lyla, you deserve this," he tried to reassure me.

I just shook my head. "But, that's the thing, I don't deserve this," I told him. "I got pregnant at sixteen and I'm getting married in four weeks. I have done nothing to deserve any of this. I'm very grateful for all of this and I can't thank you enough, but this is supposed to be harder than it is. I just feel bad that everyone is cleaning up our mistake."

Sirius gave me a look and leaned forward so I couldn't avoid his gaze. "You know, at some point, you've got to stop blaming and punishing yourself," he told me. "You may have everyone else fooled, but I can tell that you're afraid to let yourself be happy. You're human; Lyla, and we all make mistakes. We learn from them and then move on. And you got something even more amazing out of all this—a little baby. You deserve to be happy, Lyla. You and Remus are the best people I know and you deserve a happy ending."

My eyes began to sting as tears threatened to spill forth. "I'm afraid that we made a mistake in choosing to keep her," I confessed quietly. I hadn't even shared this with Remus or Alexa, but there was something about Sirius that made me feel I could tell him these things without any judgment. "Every day I sit here and wonder if she would be better off with parents who are older and wiser and who know what they're doing. I don't want to mess this up."

He gave me a smile and cocked his head to the side. "Lyla, when have you ever failed at anything?" he asked. "You and Remus are going to be great parents. I mean, I had parents who were married and older when they had me and look how that turned out. Age and experience has nothing to do with it. You love that baby and you and Remus love each other; that's all that matters. And when times get rough, which they might, your friends will be here to help." I pulled Sirius into a hug and held onto him tightly for a few moments. "And if it makes you feel better about the apartment, I really gave it up because of James." He gave me a wink and laughed. "James couldn't bear the thought of living without me. I had the throw the poor kid a bone."

"Even though I know that that is not at all true, I appreciate the effort," I told him, patting him on the back.

"You're welcome," he said. "For the record, if I had had a mom like you, I know I would have turned out a hell of a lot better than I have. And I'll always be here for you, Lyls. No matter what and no judgment." I gave him another heartfelt smile and then voices slowly started to fill the kitchen.

"All I'm saying is that covering everything in rubber would be best. Everything is a deathtrap for a baby, and I don't want my goddaughter to die," James said as he, Peter and Remus entered the kitchen. "You can never be too careful with little ones," he continued to instruct. I smiled at the boys as they sat around the table discussing the best way to set everything up. I gave Remus's arm a squeeze and slid off my chair to leave them to their business.

I walked through the sunken living room, noticing the wonderfully soft feel of the carpet on my aching feet and headed toward the baby's room. I peered into the soft lavender room (Blair had thought that pink was too obvious a choice) that seemed to almost glow as the late afternoon sun streamed in through the window. Blair and Alexa must have gone into the master bedroom seeing as they were no longer in the baby's room. I took a step in and drifted over to the old crib that had once been Alexa's and mine. There was a small dresser and a twin bed that had already been here when we moved in and then the old crib on the wall next to the closet. Remus's mother had also given us a beautiful rocking chair that she had used and that was in the corner next to the bed.

"The color turned out great in here, didn't it?" I turned around and saw Blair and Alexa coming into the room. I nodded my head in agreement. Blair forged ahead over to the window but Alexa just stayed in the doorway. "Here are a few options for the curtains in here, which one do you guys like better?" she asked as she held fabric samples up to the window. There was one that was white with little butterflies all over it, one that was a light pink with sequins sporadically placed, and then a simple pastel green color. "What do you guys think? I'm partial to the green; I think it really goes well with the purple. Thoughts?"

"Yeah, the green looks great," I agreed. "Alexa, what do you think?" I asked.

Alexa just shrugged her shoulders. "I really don't care," she said. "It's your house, pick what you want." I raised my eyebrow at her and gave her a look. "What?" she asked.

"What's your problem?" I asked back. "I just want to know you're opinion on something."

"Pick whatever you want, Lyla," she said, raising her voice slightly. "Just make a decision. I no longer live with you, so I really shouldn't get a say. You've moved out, and that's that."

Suddenly, things started clicking in my head. "Is that why you've been in such a piss poor mood lately? Because I moved out?" I asked.

"No!" she exclaimed. "Despite popular belief, not everything revolves around you."

"Oh, please," I said, rolling my eyes. "What do you want me to do, Alexa? Live in our room with you forever? What about when the baby comes and after Remus and I get married? Are we all just going to live in that room?" I questioned. "I'm getting married, I'm growing up, and I'm starting a new life. It's not going to be just me and you anymore, I'm going to have a baby and a husband in the mix now."

"That's great, Lyls! Start your new life and be happy," she said, shifting back and forth on her feet. "There clearly isn't room for me in your new life anymore, so I wish you luck and I guess I'll see you around." She turned to leave and I couldn't believe what was happening.

"I wasn't saying I didn't have room for you in my life. I'll always have room for you. I'm just going to have other responsibilities that are going to take up my time and things aren't going to be the same," I told her. "I'm moving forward with my life, I don't have the luxury of living in the past anymore and pretending that everything is so easy and carefree."

"You think my life is so easy?" she asked, hurt in her voice. "I'm not at all saying that what you're going through isn't hard, and I'm not trying to make this about me, but never once have you asked how I'm doing with all this change. I'm losing my sister and you don't seem to care." Alexa was breathing heavily now as she spoke passionately. "You've always been one step ahead of me. Ever since we were little you were always just slightly more advanced, but you never moved on without me. You always made sure to take me along. That's what I loved most about you and why I looked up to you. But now, you're moving on again but this time you left me behind."

"Alexa, I can't hold your hand forever," I told her. "You're my sister, I love you and you will always be a part of my life. But, I'm at a point in my life where I can't put off moving forward to wait for you to catch up." I took a breath and paused to think if I should continue. Before I could stop myself, I started to talk. "You have a tendency to hold onto the past, Alexa, and you don't like things to change once you have them the way you like them."

"I do not hold onto the past!" she argued. "And I've changed so much this year that I don't even know who I originally was."

"You haven't changed at all!" I told her, saying things that I had kept to myself for so long. "Pretending that you're okay when you're not is not moving on, pretending that you're over Sirius doesn't mean you are. You can't move on while you're still caught up on something." She knew what I was talking about and I could tell she wasn't happy about it. I knew after I said it, that I shouldn't have said what I did. I blame it on my hormones.

Alexa just shook her head and walked out of the room. Blair and I quickly took off after her. "Somebody apparate me home," she demanded, when she walked back into the kitchen.

"What's wrong?" James asked, looking for answers.

"Nothing, I just need somebody to apparate me home, now," she repeated.

"Alex, what happened?" Sirius asked.

"Nothing!" she exclaimed. "Either apparate me home, or I'm going to walk home by myself and possibly be killed."

The boys all looked at each other and just shrugged their shoulders. "Okay, fine, I'll take you back," Sirius, said, moving to get up.

"No, I don't want you to do it," she said adamantly. "Anybody but you." She gave him a look and Sirius sat back down in his seat.

Silence filled the room as the tension built. "Um, I'll take you back, Al," Remus said. Alexa nodded her head and immediately headed out the door. Remus followed after her and they both disappeared. After a few more minutes, James, Blair, Sirius and Peter all left, deciding it was best if they went home.

When I was alone in the new apartment, I suddenly felt so lonely and sad. And it was made even worse when I realized I couldn't talk to Alexa about how I was feeling. I finally pulled myself up from the kitchen table and headed back to Remus's bedroom and mine. There were still unpacked boxes littering the floor but the bed was all set up, and for now, I just needed a place to lie down. I went into the bathroom, splashed some water on my face and slipped on my pale blue nightgown that draped over my body.

I flipped off the light in the bathroom and made my way over to the bed. Clicking on the fan next to the bed, I pulled back the soft covers and eased myself onto the mattress. Relief flooded my body as my body sunk into the mattress and the cool air brushed my face. I had been having hot flashes for the last couple of days and I never could manage to get comfortable.

As I sat there staring up at the ceiling, I heard the front door open and then close moments later. I could hear footsteps coming closer until I finally saw Remus's frame in the door to the bedroom. He leaned against the doorframe and just watched me. I leaned forward slightly and struggled with the pillows behind me. Seconds later, Remus was sitting next to me on the bed fixing the pillows for me. "Thank you," I muttered softly.

"Your parents say hello," he told me, eyeing me as if he was waiting for me to break. I just nodded my head with a slight smile. He hesitated for a moment and then decided to speak. "Do you want to talk about what happened?" he asked, not wanting to push me.

I took in a sharp breath and looked down at my hands that were folded on top of my stomach. "I said some things that I'm not proud of," I confessed, still not making eye contact. "But she said some things too." At this point I think I was just trying to reason with myself. "I don't know what to do," I whispered to myself.

"Look," he started, shifting his body to face me and leaning his elbow against his pillows, "I don't pretend that I have the slightest clue how the relationship between you and Alexa works, but I know you both well enough to know that you guys not speaking is going to eat you both up inside. It might be best if one of you just apologizes."

At this I turned to meet him and gave him a look. "And by someone you mean me," I stated. "I don't know if I can face her; the things I said were much worse than what she said. I'm ashamed that I said anything."

Remus placed his arm around my shoulders and held me gently. "Alexa is your sister, I'm sure she will forgive you for whatever you said," he comforted. "And if you said something that you regret, own up to it and just apologize. She'll forgive you and you'll feel better about it."

I let out a 'humph' and snuggled closer to his body. "I'll think about it," I told him, undecided about what I was going to do. I felt his deep laugh quake throughout my body. I looked up at his face and jabbed him slightly in the ribs. "What are you laughing about?" I asked.

"You're cute when you're stubborn," he jested. As he continued to laugh, I pushed him away and crossed my arms across my stomach, all the while, pouting. He leaned over and placed a kiss on my cheek; which I promptly swatted away like a child. Remus turned the lamp by his bedside on and then went to turn off the main light in the room and closed the door.

I situated myself in the bed and threw the blankets off me. Remus settled in next to me and let out a breath. "It's the first night in our new place," he thought out loud, shutting off the lamp and letting the darkness fill the room. "It's weird isn't it?"

I found Remus's hand on the bed and took it in mine. "We're going to be okay," I told him, and myself. Remus lifted my hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss on my skin.

"Yeah, we're going to be okay," he replied. I don't know if I quite believed it yet, but each time it was said, I believed it a little bit more.

* * *

It had been nearly two days since I had talked to Alexa. We hadn't shared more than an angry glare and it didn't bother me in the slightest. At least that's what I told myself. Remus and I had pretty much settled into the new apartment and were starting to get used to our new life. Most of our boxes had been unpacked and the only room that still needed some work was the baby's room.

We had all gathered at my house, or my old house, to finish up the gift baskets and invitations and try to finalize the seating arrangement. We all were seated around the dining room table, I sat at one end and Alexa sat on the completely opposite side. As she angrily tied bows around the little bags of Jordan almonds and Blair delicately addressed the remaining invitations, the boys and me were figuring out where and how to seat all the guests.

"I guess we'll put the wedding party at the front table," I said as I looked at the sheet of paper with the layout of the tables.

Alexa cleared her throat and turned to Blair. "Blair," she said, "Don't you think seating the wedding party all together is a little old fashioned? If I were planning a wedding, I would just have the bride and groom sit together and have everybody else at a different table. The bride and groom won't have time for their wedding party anyways, so why even sit them together." I looked to Alexa and rolled my eyes. "And maybe there are certain members of the wedding party who don't even want to sit with the bride. But they wouldn't know that because the bride probably didn't even bother asking said members of the wedding party."

"Well, maybe if certain members of the wedding party were a little more understanding of the bride and groom's situation, there wouldn't be a problem," I said, looking down at the paper pretending to write something, "Wouldn't you say, Blair?"

"Lyla," Remus cautioned, giving me a look.

Alexa suddenly stood up from her spot, looking angry, and said, "I've got to go." Without another word, she turned and exited through the kitchen.

Everyone just sat there in silence and looked at each other, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. "Let's just get back to work and get this finished," I suggested. They all nodded in agreement and set back in to what they had been doing. "We'll set my parents and your parents at the same table and then we'll put the rest of the Parkers together."

"Maybe you should go talk to your sister," Remus suggested to me in a whisper. I sighed and looked out the window. "I gave you your space and gave you time to come to the decision yourself, but it is time to make up with your sister. You've been miserable the last two days and from what Blair's told me, Alexa has been pretty miserable too. You just need to apologize so you two can move on from this."

"Do I have to?" I asked. Remus just placed a kiss on the top of my head and nodded. I slid out of my chair and reluctantly headed to the kitchen. I pushed open the door slowly and saw Alexa sitting at the bar stabbing a piece of pie my mother had made the night before. I went to the side of the island across from her and watched as she assaulted the flaky crust. "So…" I trailed off.

"I'm pretending that this is your face," she informed me dully.

"Oh, come on, don't be like that," I said, even though I deserved it. "I'm really sorry Alexa." She stopped stabbing with her fork and waited for me to continue. "You were right. I got so caught up in everything that was happening that I forgot about how others may be feeling. And for that I am truly sorry."

She looked up at me and looked sad. "For sixteen years you've been there for me, right by my side every step of the way, picking me up when I fell and protecting me along the way," she started. "Then, all of a sudden, you weren't there anymore. I got scared. I feel like I'm losing my best friend. For the first time, I'm on my own and I'm afraid I'm going to fail and fall flat on my face. I miss you."

"Alex, I will always be here for you, even if we don't share a room," I told her. "We're still sisters and nothing will ever change that. If you ever need anything, I will help you and you are always welcome our new place; just in case you need to escape mother." Alexa laughed and gave me a smile. "And you're not going to fall on your face. You've always been able to take of yourself; I just didn't let you prove that very often. You're the strongest person I know, and with your help, I know I'm going to be able to get through having this baby and the wedding."

"Let's never fight again," she said, getting up from her stool and pulling me into a hug. "Not talking to you for two days nearly killed me."

"No promises," I said, holding her tight, "But I'll sure try. And for the record, I want you to sit at the table with me at the wedding."

Alexa laughed again and put her arm around my shoulder as we headed back to the dining room. "Well, I guess that will work," she said. "For the record, I don't think that's old fashion. I couldn't imagine sitting with anyone else. And let me make one for thing clear," she added, stopping short of the door, "I don't mind sharing you with Remus and eventually my precious goddaughter, but I want you to always remember that I'm your sister and I've known you longer." She threw me a wink and then we walked back into the dining room.

"Did you two make up?" Remus asked when he saw us.

"Indeed we did Remus," Alexa said as she took her seat at the table. "Now, Remus, I accept the fact that you are now number one in my dear sister's life, but I want you to know that I am a very close second. You get custody of her for now, but I do demand visitation rights."

"You are welcome to visit anytime you want," Remus said as I sat down next to him and he put his arm around me. Alexa nodded her head and went back to tying the ribbons, a smile on her face.

The next day, after having patched everything up with Alexa, we all gathered at Remus and mine's new abode to finish unpacking things and put the finishing touches on the place. We were lucky enough to get the apartment fully furnished, but it needed some personal touches that represented us. We began to hang photos and personal items and it was really starting to feel like our place. I grabbed a black frame out of one of the boxes in the living room and smiled as I saw what picture it was.

Enclosed within the dark wood was a black and white photo of Blair, Alexa, and me. We were laughing hysterically and holding each other closely. I remember when James took this picture. It was during a Hogsmeade outing this past winter. We all had warm hats on and you could see the snow falling around us, and occasionally a snowflake would land on our faces and disappear just as quickly as it had landed. We looked so happy and I could almost hear Blair's high-pitched breathy laugh and Alexa's strong dramatic chortle.

I went over to the fireplace and delicately placed the picture on the mantle next to a picture of Remus and I and one of all of us amidst a giant pile of leaves. As I looked at these pictures, I suddenly realized something that I should have known all along. Remus and I weren't in this alone, even thought it sometimes felt like we were. People kept telling me that we weren't alone in this, but it hadn't really resonated with me until this moment. Remus and I already had a family and that family would be with us through thick and thin. Our daughter was going to have three moms and four dads, and together we could do anything. Alexa and Blair were my sisters, James, Sirius and Peter, my brothers. We were bonded together forever. I grabbed another photo and placed it with the others on the mantel, completing the set. Adding a picture from a scan I had done recently, I now had my new family represented.

I heard a loud squeal come from back in the baby's room. No doubt it was Blair gushing about how cute this and that was. Everyone else was in the baby's room finishing up the room. Blair insisted that I didn't help so it could be a surprise. I already knew the colors of the baby's room but I was excited to see everything put together. Alexa had bought some bedding for the crib and I know Blair had gotten some things to make the room fit for a little princess, as she put it. I'm not really sure what the guys were doing, but I'm sure they were putting their two cents in whenever Blair stopped gushing long enough.

Tired from unpacking, I took a seat on the couch that was situated next to the window. I looked around the living room, trying to figure out if I was happy with the setup. I couldn't really put my finger on it but there was just something off about the room. I looked to the chair and ottoman over to the left, but that wasn't it. Next I looked at the coffee table before me and tilted my head to examine the vase of flowers. That wasn't it either. It suddenly hit me, the couch. Where the couch was situated just bugged me for some reason.

I pulled myself off the comfortable couch and stood in front of it for a moment looking at it skeptically. I moved to one end of the couch and grasped the arm of the couch firmly. I shifted it slightly forward and then moved to the others side to do the same. I kept this up until it was nearly in the perfect spot. Just as I was about to make the final adjustment, something made me jump back. "What the hell is this?" I turned to see James now standing in the living room looking at me with furious eyes.

"Bloody hell, James, you scared me to death," I said, taking a deep breath to calm myself down. "Don't sneak up on me like that."

"Step away from that couch, now," he said sternly. "You know you shouldn't be lifting that." I just waved James off and reached again for the couch. "If you touch that couch, we're going to have a problem." I gave James a look and then deliberately placed my hand on the couch. He let out a frustrated huff and turned back toward the bedrooms. "Remus, Lyla is trying to lift really heavy things and she won't stop!" he exclaimed.

"Real mature," I scoffed. James just gave me an 'I warned you' look.

In a matter of seconds, Remus, Sirius, and Peter were next to James looking at me scandalously. "We can't leave you alone for few minutes without you trying to do something that you're not supposed to do," Remus said.

"I'm not impotent, Remus," I informed him. "I am perfectly capable of doing things for myself."

"You know you're not supposed to lift heavy things. The doctor told you to take it easy," he lectured.

"Well, you freak out every time I use magic because you're afraid I'm going to do too much and what happened on my birthday is going to happen again," I complained. "I can't do things by hand, I can't do things with magic, I can't do anything. I still have five months of being pregnant; if I can't do anything for five months, I'm going to go insane."

"You can boss everyone else around," Sirius offered. "See, we found a solution."

"Listen here," I said pointedly to all of them. "You all need to back off and give me a little freedom. I know my limits and I'll stop if I get too tired or start feeling weird. Can you guys do that for me?" Don't get me wrong, I loved having all these people care about me, but it was like by marrying Remus I was going to be getting all of the Marauders as my 'husbands'. Sometimes they just took the caring too far. They all mumbled noncommittally and nodded their heads. "Now, James, did you come out here for any particular reason?" I asked.

James racked his brain for a moment and then remembered. "Oh, yeah, we're finished in the baby's room," he said with a proud smile. I abandoned the couch, gladly, and followed after the four boys who led me back to the room. The door was closed and we all gathered outside it.

"Someone cover her eyes!" Blair shouted from inside the room. I started to protest but Blair quickly cut me off. "Just do it!" Remus quickly moved behind me and placed his hands delicately over my eyes. I heard the door open and then felt someone take my hand and led me forward. Remus moved with me smoothly until we finally came to a stop. Remus slowly removed his hands from my face and I was completely amazed by what I saw.

The room had been totally transformed and was absolutely perfect. I honestly couldn't even believe what I saw. The crib had soft purple sheets on it with a delicate green design and a beautiful white blanket covering that, with purple satin edges. At the bottom of the crib hung a billowing white bed skirt with a thick strip of purple satin dusting the floor. On the floor right by the crib was a purple, white and green carpet that was so soft.

The dresser was on the next wall, next to the window and it had a cute little lamp on it and a small vase of lavender that gave the room the most heavenly aroma. In one of the corners sat Remus's mother's rocking chair. I looked at all my friends and gave them a grateful smile. "This is amazing," I told them. I was nearly speechless.

"I'm glad you like it," Blair said giving me a hug. "And so the baby will have a part of all of us even when we aren't here, we each added something special to the room." Blair moved over to her bag sitting on the floor and reached for something. When she turned back around she was holding the prettiest silver music box I had ever seen. She held it out to me with a smile. "I got this when I was a little girl and I would always sit and listen to it. It plays Claire de Lune," she said. "I always listened to it when I went to bed and I want the baby to have it." I passed my fingers over the cool metal and lightly lifted the top. The calming sounds of Debussy spilled forth and I smiled.

Alexa cleared her throat, her hands behind her back. "I could only think of one thing that I wanted to give to my niece. It comes as a great sacrifice to myself, but I will part with it because I love her so much," she explained. From behind her back, Alexa revealed her blanket from when she was a baby. Alexa loved her blankie and hardly slept a night without it. It was slightly worn from time but I knew what it meant for Alexa to be giving it up. I took the white blanket and rubbed my finger over the spot that Alexa had worn a hole through it from rubbing it too much.

I turned to Peter next who looked nervous. He held out a really ornate night-light. "I… I was always scared of the dark," he said meekly. "I don't want the baby to be scared like I was."

"It's perfect, Peter," I told him. I pulled him into a hug and patted him on the back.

James turned to me and held a large bag in his hands. "Mine is kind of from my whole family but I think you'll like it." Out of the bag, he pulled a large quilt and unfolded it so we could see all of the designs. "My mum made it," he told me. "She used a bunch of old baby blankets to make it and she stitched all of our initials into it." He walked over to the rocking chair and draped it over the back of the chair. The quilt was absolutely beautiful and couldn't even imagine all the love and work that went into making it.

Last up, but never least, was Sirius. He had a smirk on his face. "Like Alexa, I chose something that means a lot to me and I hope the baby loves it as much as I do," he told me. He pointed behind me to a shelf on the wall. Sitting on the shelf was Captain Awesome.

I looked back at Sirius in disbelief. "Sirius, you don't have to do this," I told him. I knew how much he loved that bear.

"Lyls, I want to," he assured me. "Captain Awesome deserves to be with someone who will play with him and appreciate him all over again. He got me through some rough times and I know that he wants to be there for your little girl just like he was there for me." I gave Sirius a smile and shook my head.

"I don't even know how to thank you guys," I confessed. "This is beyond anything that I could imagine. Thank you so much." James grabbed everyone and pulled us into a large group hug. It was official; I had the best friends in the entire world.

* * *

"Look, I am going to have to literally kick your ass if you don't get your little pregnant butt into that dressing room," Alexa said as she and Blair blocked my escape from the dress shop. "Now, I know that we've really had some duds the last times we've tried, but Blair and I personally have selected a dress that we think will be the one."

"Just trust us, Lyls," Blair said, encouragingly. "It can't possibly be as bad as the others," she joked. I nodded unwillingly and went into the dressing room to put on the dress that my dear friend and sister had picked out.

I looked at the elegant dress that was hanging on a hanger and let my fingers run down the fabric that was so soft and delicate. The design was undoubtedly beautiful and any bride would be lucky to have this dress. From experience, dresses and clothes in general these days for me always looked better on the rack than they did actually on me.

I slipped the dress on and an attendant came in to help me zip up the back, which surprisingly closed with ease. The dress felt great and seemed to fit me rather well. I smoothed the fabric over my stomach and situated the dress before I stepped out of the dressing room to show Alexa and Blair.

When I rounded the corner to where Blair and Alexa were seated, there was a collective gasp from my two friends as I came into view. I stood before them and gave them a smile. "What do you think?" I asked.

Blair and Alexa got up from their spots and moved toward me. Alexa gave me a wide smile and Blair looked like she was fighting back the tears. They turned me toward the mirror and we all assessed the dress. The dress was covered in lace and the design was beautiful. It had thin lace sleeves that went down to my elbows and the dress flowed gently to the floor. The fabric covered my stomach nicely and it was loose enough to allow room if my stomach got much bigger by wedding day.

"You look absolutely beautiful," Alexa said, giving me a hug. "Remus is going to die when he sees you in this dress."

"You really think it's the one?" I questioned.

"If you don't get this dress, you might as well just not get married," Blair said dramatically. "This is perfect and you look perfect. I couldn't imagine you in any other dress." I gave her a smile and looked at myself in the mirror again. I really did feel great in this dress and it was the first one that I didn't feel was way to big or way too tight.

Blair moved behind me and pulled my hair back into a messy bun. With my hair pulled back, the neckline of the dress was more prominent and it really accentuated and elongated my neck. I had decided that I wasn't going to wear a veil so Blair was going to do something special with my hair. "This is it," I told them.

It felt like a giant weight was lifted off my chest. With everything going on, it was nice to have everything falling into place. I now had one less thing to worry about and that anxiety about how I was going to look on my wedding day was gone.

The shop owner took the dress after I changed out of it and went to wrap it up for me. She also offered to tailor it for free if I needed any slight alterations come wedding day. The dress was a little more than I wanted to pay, but Alexa told me that I shouldn't think about it. If it's what I really wanted and the dress I really loved, that's all that mattered. The price didn't matter nearly as much as making me completely happy on my wedding day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	5. Rule 76: Emotional Dealings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Well, there’s a change of events if I’ve ever heard one.” Remus put in and as Blair took a break from shoving food into her mouth, she put her own opinion in. “And let me tell you, I will never try to keep up with Lily Evans ever again.”

_Rule 76: Emotions Will Be Kept at a Minimum During Meetings (Unless in Extreme Situations)  
_   
_Alexa's Point of View_

* * *

"I've changed my mind. You're not going to the concert." Remus said as he and the rest of the boys sat in our room and exchanged glances between themselves. Lyla laughed before twirling around in her silver t-strap heels and showing off her very flattering one-shouldered black dress with the empire waist that hid her growing baby-bump nicely. Her hair was straightened to perfection and laying over one shoulder in an elaborate twist. "Oh, Remus, you can't tell me what to do, love." She said before sitting in his lap and giving him a kiss on the cheek.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck, looking like he had no intentions of letting go, while James diverted his eyes back to Blair with a frown. "Quit with the brow-furrowing, Potter." She said as she ruffled her teased crown and put her hands on her bare hips. Her high-waisted red shorts and white, off the shoulder peasant top that was cropped just above her belly button, showed a strip of flesh and she rolled her eyes at me. Teetering on her ankle boots, she walked back to the front of the mirror to blink her smoky eyes at her reflection.

"I'm with Remus. I don't feel like we'd be very good gentlemen if we let you out of the house like this." Sirius spoke up from his position sitting on the floor with Little Sirius who was scampering about between our high-heels. Laughing at my friend's boyfriends, I spun around in a circle, keeping my hands down so my short, strapless white sundress wouldn't flare up too high. Then, adjusting the frayed blue-jean cropped vest I had on, I pushed the sparkly band around my head down some to keep my huge curls at bay. Reaching down to adjust my wedged heels with the white straps winding up my calves, I rubbed noses with Little Sirius who was meandering over to me.

"We better leave now if we want to catch the trolley to London on time." I told everyone and everyone started about on the final things, such as tickets and touch-ups and wands stowed away in Blair's brown leather satchel. I was turning off the lights to the room and about to make my way downstairs, my cat stowed safely in his pen, when Sirius grabbed my hand from outside the door and pulled me into him. "Watch yourself, Black." I said with a grin as he looked down at the way my breasts were crushed to his chest.

"Your parents are out for the night, right? And James and Blair will be staying at his." He stated and I nodded silently as his hands trailed over my sides. I felt my breathing start to stagger as I listened to my friends walking down the stairs to the foyer. "I'll meet you back here when the concert is over." He told me and as I looked up into his darkening eyes, I bit my lip before he put a hand in my hair and guided my lips to his.

"Merlin, if I had known you'd be this jealous over a simple concert," I trailed off and he grinned in his arrogant way before letting me go and trotting down the stairs. I gave him a few minutes, checked myself and calmed my breathing, before heading down into the foyer, my heels making heavy footfalls the whole way. "I'm so ready to see my band in concert that it's really a bit insane." I told them as we stepped out onto the porch and Lyla locked the door with her house key.

Turning and giving Remus a kiss goodbye, she addressed everyone. "So, we'll be meeting up here after the concert to make sure we all make it back to our respective homes?" I knew she was still super excited about the big move into her and Remus' flat, which they had done last week, because she brought it up all the time. When we had all acquiesced to her request, the boys apparated away as we walked to the front of the neighborhood, tottering slightly in our heels and from the shots of liquid courage Blair and I had consumed in our room while getting ready (sparkling apple juice only for soon to be baby mama), and stepped up to the designated spot to away for the seven o'clock trolley.

"I'm so bloody excited I can barely breath." Blair let out as we pulled up twenty minutes later outside of one of London's largest stadiums. I felt myself begin to bounce in excitement as Lyla grabbed our hands tightly and we began to walk to one of the many entrances. Everyone around us was talking excitedly, yelling out for tickets, or just generally squealing, and I felt my eyes widen as I took it all in. Girls of all shapes and sizes held posters hailing the band while boys stumbled around and sang some of the hits the band were known for.

Blair dug out her muggle camera, gathering us in as we waited in the never ending line and snapping a few quick pictures, the flashes blinding us completely, before some girl who was old enough to be our mother and wearing a shirt advertising the red-tongue logo, offered to take one for us so our faces wouldn't be so smashed and close-up. We happily obliged and after a few alternating pictures and a heated conversation on that was better, the lead guitarist or the vocalist, we had made it to the security guards who took our tickets and ushered us into the stadium.

Checking my ticket for what had to be the fortieth time that night, I glanced around the half-full stadium as a cover-band warmed up on stage. "Where the hell are our seats?" I asked Blair who shrugged her shoulders as she gazed around the large stadium in awe. I had to admit; the inside of the stadium was filled with tiers of seats while the floor had rows and rows of seats in front of a massive stage where the band would be performing.

"No clue; why don't we ask the attendant?" Blair said while almost pulverizing some petite looking girls as she walked around with her head tilted up and back to look at her surroundings. Lyla quickly apologized to the teens and then grabbed Blair's arm while marching us over to the seating attendant where we were located at the moment. After showing the woman our tickets, she spoke briefly into a walkie-talkie, before pointing us down a large amount of stairs and saying some man named 'Johnny' would meet us at the bottom.

We stumbled, half-drunkenly, pausing for a few moments to get our wits about us as I laughed my ass off every time Blair took a slight spill into the railing, to the bottom where a big robust red-head stood and smiled at us. "Well girls, you are in for a treat tonight." Exchanging glances with my sister and best friend, I coughed through my giggles and followed the ginger down the rows of seat, nearing the stage and watching it get closer and the warm up band grow louder with every row.

"Blair." I said in a squeak as the attendant stopped just 10 rows shy of the stage. Then, with a loud shriek, Lyla started bouncing up and down and clapping her hands like a psychopath. It took all of two seconds for Blair and I to join her as the attendant moved off with a laugh to help someone else. As my heart pounded strongly in my chest, I felt my adrenaline rush to the surface and my face heat up in excitement. "Stop, stop! You're going to bounce baby Lyla right out of you and then we'll miss the concert!" I told my sister, who laughed hysterically but stopped bouncing.

"Well, ladies, shall we find our seats?" Blair said with a maniacal grin and I nodded enthusiastically as we began to clamber over the people that were already seated and made it to our chairs. None of us spoke as we sat in awe, looking over the stadium, at the people surrounding us, and just generally smiling, except for the times when we would randomly burst into excited laughter or shrieking.

The first tones of some random opening band filled the air of the stadium as it continued to fill up, and even though it wasn't the band we were there to see, all three of us jumped to our feet and clapped along to their music. The leader singer, wild and brash, gyrated on stage and Blair mimed fanning herself while I danced along on my heels and tried not to face plant. The effect of the alcohol and the flood of emotions filling my body had me yelling louder than usual and it wasn't long before we had attracted the attention of the guitarist.

Walking towards the end of the stage, he flicked his guitar pick at us, which Blair caught and then yelled out a 'thanks, babe,' when the music had lulled. She was loud enough for him to hear, and as people in the crowd around us laughed at our antics, the guitarist winked and sauntered back over to the lead singer, who was waxing poetic about lovely fans and bad tour busses. With a smile, his eyes locked onto the three of us and as the band started up a particularly lively beat, he made his way over to our side of the stage.

"Oh, my Merlin!" Lyla said while grabbing my arm, as I stood in the middle of my two friends. "He's coming over here! He sees us!" She breathed out in excitement and Blair watched star-struck as this basically nameless singer jumped from the stage, and stumbled down the row to where we were standing. People around us shrieked and laughed as security tried to usher him back onstage, but he only waved them off before coaxing for Blair's outstretched hand and kissing it. Then, with a tip of his imaginary hat, he jumped back to the stage again.

To say we were going wild was an understatement, and soon after that an old, beat up drumstick, found its way to us while we continued to dance and sing for a band we had never even heard before. An hour or so later, they thanked the crowd, bowed dramatically, and sauntered off-stage as the lights came on and the set began to be taken down in exchange for the headliners to take the stage. Sitting back down, Lyla took a deep breath before launching into how amazing all this was and how she was going to go into premature labor from excitement.

"I have no clue who that man was, but if they ever become famous I have about 20,000 witnesses that he has touched my skin." Blair was saying and I laughed before looking up in front of me, and tilting my head to the side. Just up ahead was a very familiar head full of fire engine red hair. I was about to say something to Blair and Lyla when the lights dimmed and a thunderous roar filled the stadium as what felt like millions of people stood to their feet and a bass note rocketed through my eardrums.

My eyes widened and I let out what was embarrassingly my girliest shriek ever and started to jump up and down on my wedges as best I could without tanking hard. Suddenly, as the opening riff was finished, the lights went up on stage and I was standing, looking at my all time favorite band in the world. "_If you start me up,"_ He sang and I grabbed onto my friends' hands as we all bounced around, danced, and sang along with the band.

From there, they said hello in their beautiful voices before heading straight into _Don't Stop._ I was in heaven by the time they had slowed it down to _Fool to Cry_ and as Lyla tried to say something, Blair stopped her as she stared deeply and very intensely at the lead singer as if she was blocking out the world. "Sorry, Lyla, but I'm trying to envision him singing just to me." I laughed loudly with Lyla before focusing back on the lead guitarist, watching as his fingers slid over the frets on his guitar like an expert.

After his beautiful crooning turned into their classic _You Can't Always Get What You Want_ and _Brown Sugar_, a few of the people in front of us had cleared out for whatever reason. Looking around, and noticing that the security was busy with a couple of drunken men a few rows over, I motioned to Blair and Lyla that we should climb over the folding chairs and get closer. Blair immediately began the trek, but Lyla hesitated a bit before I grabbed her arm and started to haul her over. Gracefully, or not, she hopped over in her short dress and heels before she and Blair grabbed my arm and pulled me across the row.

Looking up, I saw the red hair again and as there was a lull in the music and the band was bantering between them while the audience laughed, I tapped on the girl's back before laughing loudly as I saw her. "Who would have guessed Lily Evans was a fan." I said and Blair and Lyla laughed too as Lily shrieked and hugged all of us from over the chairs. Then, abandoning her post next to a rather stiff looking girl, she climbed over the chairs and stood next to us.

Admittedly, she was rather drunk, so she fit in perfectly as we all sang along to _Miss You _and _Gimme Shelter._ By the time _Paint it Black_ and _Sympathy for the Devil_ had finished, Blair, Lily, and I were sufficiently hammered from the tiny flask that Lily had snuck in with her and she and Blair were singing along to _Wild Horses_ while Lyla and I leaned against each other and sang under our breath. When the concert finally ended, with the classic _(I Can't Get) No Satisfaction _and _She's a Rainbow_, we all filed out of the stadium. Blair and Lily were still laughing together and hanging off of each other, while Lyla and I continued to sing to their songs, giggling all the while.

"I'll write!" Lily said as the girl she was with, who turned out to be her stick in the mud sister who had gotten the tickets from her boyfriend who couldn't go tonight, pulled her off towards the car lot. We all waved good-bye and waited in line for the trolley, which would take us back to my house. Once we had all taken a seat, I closed my eyes briefly while the rocking motion drifted me into a slight comatose state. Blair was still chattering on happily to Lyla who was sat with her hand on her stomach and nodding along to some music she was humming.

Finally, at the front of our neighborhood, the trolley let us off and we stumbled down the street, Lyla doing her best to keep the ground steady beneath us. Finally, we sat down on the sidewalk and I giggled through unlacing my sandals while Blair talked about her toes were demanding to be set free in a rather loud voice. After much debate on which toe was the prettiest, her middle toe on her left foot for obvious reasons, we started our trek again.

"Where the hell have you all been?" James asked as he ran a hand through his unruly hair and stood from the porch just in time to catch Blair who had flung herself towards him. "You're blistered." He said with a laugh as she smiled dazedly at him and then ran a hand down the side of his face. "And you're sexy." She said and then with a deep, throaty laugh, closed her eyes and passed out. Pulling her into his arms, James rolled his eyes before nodding goodbye and apparating away.

"I'm going to take it that you all had a good time?" Remus said while standing from the porch and taking Lyla's shoes out of her hands for her. She leaned against him and he put his hand over her stomach before kissing her forehead.

"A very lovely time indeed." I said while feeling my eyes drift to Sirius, who was still seated on the stairs, leaning back with a smirk on his face as he watched us all stumble around; Lyla from being tired and pregnant, me from the after-effects of too much fire-whiskey. "Well, I'll be going to bed then." I tried to hint at Lyla and Remus to leave, while not making it too obvious that Sirius would be staying, and Lyla rolled her eyes before saying goodbye and holding onto Remus' hand.

"I can't wait until I can no longer apparate. I hate this feeling. I'll be over to make breakfast tomorrow, boozy. See you, Sirius." She said with a wink before she and Remus twisted out of sight. Sighing, I went to reach for Blair's shoes that she had dropped when Sirius held them out to me. Giggling, I tripped slightly on the stairs and went to open the door. "Well, you're not a guitarist, but I assume you'll do for the night." I winked at Sirius while backing through the open door and bit my lip when Sirius stepped into the darkened foyer and shut the door behind him.

Dropping my shoes to the floor, I stood on one of the stairs to get some height and reached my hands into his tousled hair as we kissed heavily. Stumbling up the stairs, we entered one of the first rooms we came to before falling to the bed.

The next morning, however, as I heard a pan crash to the floor in the kitchen, I sat up quickly and immediately regretted it. Monkeys. And they were fucking everywhere. Staring out at me from the foliage painted walls, covering my naked body as I hugged the sheets to myself, and even from the greenery in the ceiling. Closing my eyes quickly and bracing myself against the blinding headache I felt, I fell back to the bed before feeling Sirius settle in more beside me.

"Damn it," I whispered through my dry throat as I rolled over slightly to look at the boy lying peacefully next to me. He was thoroughly naked, his torso and hips visible from where I had yanked the sheet up to cover myself and I let my gaze linger before I shook myself from my ogling. There were more important things going on right now than staring at the Adonis next to me in bed. Like, I don't know if Lyla found out we were in here.

Trying to rack my brain, I looked around the room, hoping to locate all of our clothes and that they weren't scattered on the stairs or in the hallway. Locating all of Sirius' belongings, as well as my knickers, I bit my lip when I didn't see my dress or vest. This could be potentially problematic, but then again, I could have just thrown them off before falling into bed, alone, if that's what Lyla asked. Speaking of, I really hoped she hadn't gone upstairs to look for me.

Standing up and pulling Sirius's t-shirt from the ground, I yanked the shirt over my rat's nest of curls and then pulled my underwear on quickly. Crawling back up onto the bed, I pushed down on Sirius' shoulders and bounced so I was pushing him into the bed hard enough to rouse him from his sleep. When he opened his eyes, he closed them sharply before peeking through one as if he was winking. "Why are you waking me up?" He groaned and I slapped a hand over his mouth, sitting still and listening for any motion on the stairs.

When I was sure the coast was clear, I took my hand off his mouth and began to speak in a quick whisper. "Lyla is here cooking breakfast." I stated, and other than looking excited at the prospect of a proper English breakfast, he didn't show much indication. "Meaning she may or may not know that you stayed the night. And if she knows that you stayed the night then she'll know something is going on." Sitting himself up so he was propped against the headboard of the bed, he took in my current state of dress.

"I think I'd be more worried about her realizing you're wearing my shirt from yesterday without a bra." He said and I reached over to whack him on the side of the head, when he caught my wrist and flipped me over to where he was lying over me, only the sheet wrapped around his lower body. I felt my face heat up when he grinned wickedly and began to suck on my neck. "Besides, is it really such a bad thing that she knows? We're just two teenagers relieving our sexual tension. What's so wrong with that?"

"The fact that I'll look like a slag is obviously non-important to you." I breathed out while running my fingers absentmindedly through his hair. "Besides, Sirius, we agreed to make this non-exclusive and to not tell anyone about it. You haven't told anyone, have you?" He didn't reply, instead working his hands up under his t-shirt I was currently sporting and focusing on that. "Sirius, have you told anyone?"

Finally bringing his eyes to face me, he smiled winningly at my panicked glare, and then winked at me. "I haven't told anyone anything." He said and I let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't that I was ashamed to be with him, Merlin, no. But I didn't want anyone to find out and then think of me as just another one of Sirius' flings. We were friends, and so what if we had benefits I wouldn't share with any of my other friends? That was our own damn business. Although, it was starting to feel more and more like a relationship by the day.

"Good. Because if anyone finds out about this, they wouldn't understand. And we're finally good for once. I don't want anyone to mess this up." Looking at me with a nod, Sirius leaned down and kissed my lips quickly before rolling off of me and slipping his jeans back on, buttoning them and then looking at me with a raised eyebrow.

"How am I supposed to explain to James that I was just wondering around shirtless when I get back to his house?" Sirius asked me and I crossed my arms over the dark-gray t-shirt he was referring to. "What am I supposed to do if I try to make it from here to my room without clothes?" I mocked back and he rolled his eyes.

Climbing back on the bed, where I was still laying down, he straddled my hips and lowered his face to my own. "Alexa," He breathed out and I felt myself tilt my head towards his while waiting for his lips to meet mine. We kissed, and I allowed him to pull my legs around him, the denim from his jeans digging into my thighs. As he sat up and brought me with him, I clutched his shoulders and let a sigh escape my lips involuntarily.

Continuing to kiss me, he snaked his hands under the fabric of my shirt, pulling it up and off me to expose my bare chest to the cold air of the room and as we continued to kiss, I pressed myself closer against him. Then, without warning, he placed me off of himself and back into the mattress. His warmth left me and as I sat up, confused, I saw him putting the shirt back on himself. "That was so unfair, Black." I said while grabbing one of the pillows and covering myself with it.

"You win some, you lose some." Then, with a shake of his head to get his hair out of his eyes, he smiled at me. "See you in an hour or so." And with that he apparated quickly away and back to James' house. Gathering my bra, which I hooked back on, I peeked my head out of the room to make sure the coast was clear. Sure enough, my vest and dress were flung on the banister and outside the room. Grabbing the offending clothing, I ran to my room before tossing my clothes into a pile and stepping into the bathroom for a shower.

It was weird not having Lyla live at home anymore. I had the bathroom to myself, and now instead of things cluttered everywhere, there was only my things kept in a nice neat row on the vanity. I had the drawers to myself, which I filled with my make-up and other products, and because they felt bad, my parents had traded in my old bed for a larger queen sized canopy bed. And while I was happy with the changes and the larger room to myself, I still missed my sister dearly. Rinsing myself off, I stepped out of the shower and dried off quickly, then threw on a pair of sleep shorts and an old t-shirt before heading downstairs where the smell of pancakes and bacon filled the air.

"Beautiful hair-do, Alex. I must say you do look ravishing in the early morning." Lyla said while Remus, who was sipping coffee and reading the Morning Prophet at the counter, looked up and laughed. My hair was still wrapped in a towel at the top of my head, and I rolled my eyes while stilling a fresh piece of bacon from the pan.

"Thank you for that amazing compliment, Lyls." I began to fill my own cup with coffee when the door swung open and James walked in, followed by Blair, who looked like she'd seen better days. Instead of taking her make-up off, she looked like she'd stayed in last night's look. Dark rings of mascara and eyeliner adorned her eyes while her bronzer ran in rivulets down her face. She wore an over-large t-shirt, assumed to be James's, and her shorts from the night before. "Well, there's something you don't see everyday." I said with a giggle and she flipped me off before throwing herself into a chair and lying back on another chair. Placing an arm over her eyes, she let out a large groan and then silenced.

James, who joined me at the coffee pot, filled a cup with black coffee before fixing his own glass and took the black coffee to Blair. "I believe someone had a bit too much to drink last night." He said with a smirk and Blair let out another glare before taking the cup and drinking half in one go.

"I feel like I've been drugged." She said and I laughed while Lyla pointed the tongs she was using to flip bacon and scramble eggs with at her. "That's what it feels like after seeing the greatest band alive and drinking strange substances from Lily Evans."

"No one mentioned Lily Evans was at this shindig." Sirius stated as he sauntered through the kitchen door in new jeans and a navy button down, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. "Lyla, breakfast smells amazing. Blair, looking lovely as usual. Alexa, nice hair." Simultaneously, Blair and I both shot him glares while he took a seat next to James and Lyla sent him a lovely smile while turning back to breakfast.

"I almost forgot about that completely." I said while pulling my hair out of my towel and running my hands through it to loosen the waves and parting it to the side slightly. "She was hammered drunk." I said with a laugh while grabbing plates from the corner cabinet and setting them out for us. Remus got up to get the juice and milk, while James came over to help bring over the eggs, bacon, and pancakes to the table. Lyla, left with nothing to do, took her seat at the table while we brought everything over.

"Blistered and loving every moment of it." Lyla said with her own laugh as we all helped ourselves to food. "She actually wasn't that bad. And she even promised to write."

"Well, there's a change of events if I've ever heard one." Remus put in and as Blair took a break from shoving food into her mouth, she put her on opinion in. "And let me tell you, I will never try to keep up with Lily Evans in a drinking fashion ever again."

* * *

"Merlin's left hand, never his right, where can I put this box?" I heaved as I walked into Lyla and Remus' apartment carrying what felt like bricks in a box. James and Sirius looked up from their spot in front of the television and grinned at me while Remus, who was in the kitchen, pointed me towards the back bedroom. "Load of help you two were," I muttered as I passed the boys who were watching the football players run around the pitch on the screen.

As I passed into the hallway, James cheered loudly while Sirius shouted at the set. Rolling my eyes, I shuffled to the master bedroom and dropped the box of bricks onto the floor in front of the bed. Blair looked up from the bed where she was laying on her stomach and reading a magazine. Lyla's cocoa brown bedspread and big fluffy pillows were cushioning Blair in a perfect mass and I rolled my eyes at my friend. "Please tell me that was the last box." Lyla said as she came in from the adjoining bathroom.

Climbing up on the bed with Blair, I sighed and nodded to her and she dropped to the floor next to the box. Climbing towards the end of the bed, I propped myself up on my elbows and looked at my sister. Sitting in black leggings and an over-sized, off the shoulder t-shirt, she had pulled her hair back off of her face and was resting one hand on her stomach while the other was on the box. "What's in the box, Lyls? By Alexa's face it was at least five pounds of weight." Reaching over to swat at Blair for making fun of my weak arms, I turned back to Lyla who was blushing.

"Just some stuff." She said while pulling her hand off the box and leaning back on her hands. I laughed at the sight she made, her legs spread and stomach popping out, and then army crawled off the bed, balancing myself before getting off the bed. Lyla raised an eyebrow and then giggled some and Blair hopped off the bed, discarding her magazine and joining us on the floor. "Really, it's nothing special. Just some stuff from back home."

"Oh, seriously, Lyla. Just open the box and let us see what it is." Blair pulled the heavy box towards her and when she started ripping the tape, Lyla threw herself on top of the box. Laughing at my sister's antics, I grabbed the box from under both of their clutches and ripped the tape from the top in one fell swoop.

"Since I had to bring it all the way from outside, I'm looking inside." Huffing and sitting back with her arms crossed over her chest, Lyla glared at us while Blair and I took the pounds of packing paper out of the box. "What could possibly be this important that it takes ten pounds of paper to cover it?" I asked my sister and she continued to glare as we finally reached the bottom of the packing.

Blair pulled out the item and held it in front of her with a weird look. "It's a rag?" She asked with skepticism and I burst into loud laughter again as Lyla wrenched it out of Blair's hands and narrowed her eyes. "It's my baby-blanket, Blair, and you'd do well not to insult it again."

"How have I never seen that before?" Blair asked Lyla while looking on as she smoothed out the creases in the small, frayed blanket that Lyla had kept with her since she was born.

"I've never taken it to school and I keep it hidden during breaks. I can't have anyone seeing it. That would look so weird." Lyla said with a roll of her eyes. That's when it occurred to me; sure, I had seen Lyla with her blanket for years but that was because I grew up with her. If Blair had never seen it, then that would mean that Remus had never seen it either. "Oh, stop looking at me like that you all! It's embarrassing. I can't show Remus my baby blanket. I'm supposed to have my life together and be grown up and ready to be a mother. Not have a blanket that I can barely sleep without."

Sending my sister a look, I reached out and flicked her shoulder just hard enough to sting. "Lyla, you have got to be kidding me. You two are getting _married_. He's going to find out you have it eventually." I said while sitting back against the bed and bringing my knees up to rest my chin on them. She huffed while Blair examined the packing that had been used in the box.

"I just want to say first and foremost that you're crazy for putting all this packaging in the box. And second, you need to man up. If Sirius could show Alexa Captain Awesome and she still wanted to sleep with him I think that Remus will be able to understand you having a baby-blanket." Blair said while standing from her seated position and holding a hand out to help Lyla up. Lyla bit her lip and started to chew on it before taking Blair's outstretched hand and standing up.

"Captain Awesome is a cute bear, Blair! And have you seen Sirius's body? Of course I want to sleep with him." I rolled my eyes but sent my sister a smile. "And Remus is probably going to love and fawn over you even more when he finds out that you have a blanket because you're just so darn cute." I said in a cutesy voice and scrunched my face up like I was talking to a little baby.

Pushing me on the shoulder, Lyla let out a huff and took her blanket back from Blair before walking towards the door. "Well, are you coming or what?" Lyla asked and with a start, Blair and I filed after her down the hallway and into the kitchen/living area. Going behind the bar and wrapping her hands around Remus' waist from behind where he was stirring something into a pot, she started whispering to him while Blair and I walked in front of the television that Sirius and James were still sat in front of.

Ignoring their outcries as we blocked the game from the television, Blair reached back and turned the TV off, much to the outrage of the two ebony haired boys in front of us. "Blair! What do you think you're doing?" Sirius called out while reaching for the remote on the end table. I jumped into action, grabbing it before he could and he rolled his eyes with a scowl while wrapping his hands around my waist and pulling me down on the couch across his lap to forcefully take the remote from my hands.

Struggling and laughing at the same time, I tossed the remote to Blair who caught it and slipped it into the waistband of her leggings. Then putting her hands on her hips, she glared at James until he raised his hands in defeat and sat on the arm of the couch as Lyla and Remus came to sit down on the other chairs in the living room. Finally sitting up and letting loose the last of my giggles, I settled in the middle of James and Sirius, my legs draped across Sirius' lap as he rested his hands on my knees. Hopefully, no one would notice.

"Well, I have to be honest with you all." Lyla started and then drew her hands from behind her back, exposing her baby blanket to everyone. "I have been hiding the fact that I have a baby blanket."

"So does Alexa," James pointed out helpfully and Blair reached over and thwacked him on the head. "Uhm, _ouch_." He said with a huff before crossing his arms and Lyla rolled her eyes.

"Yes, but I've been hiding it from everyone. Doesn't that matter?" She asked in exasperation and Remus laughed while pulling her back over to sit in his lap. With a sigh, she went to him and he rolled his own eyes while planting a kiss on her cheek. "So what if you're embarrassed by it? Remember how crazy Sirius went when we exposed Captain Awesome? Those were admittedly much more embarrassing times then this. I mean you're a girl for Merlin's sake. It's perfectly fine. In fact, it's adorable."

"I resent the fact that a grown boy having a teddy bear is not adorable." Sirius said over Lyla's laughter and I knocked him lightly with my knee. Raising an eyebrow, he squeezed his hand around the top of my kneecap, causing me to squeal out at the ticklish sensation. With that, Lyla's tension and nervousness was broken and James reached over and grabbed the remote from Blair's waist before switching the television back on.

The announcers began to speak quickly, detailing the games' every moment and Blair opened her mouth to protest when James pulled her into his lap and kissed her quickly. Silenced at last, she settled into his lap as we all continued to watch the game together. Turning to look up at Sirius' face, I smiled slightly when I saw him watching the television in rapt attention. His thumbs were rubbing circles into my bare legs and I tried to contain my shivers.

Sensing my gaze on him, he looked down and smiled at me, before winking and causing me to blush as he turned his attention back to his surroundings. Settling into the couch more, I let myself lean against him a little bit forgetting that everyone around us could see us. Remembering my friends, I looked around the room as it started to get dark outside. Remus and Lyla had their arms wrapped around each other as they sat in the deep chair and ottoman setting while Blair rested her head on James' shoulder with her eyes closed as his hands worked circles around her back.

Everything was perfect and wonderful and back to normal; or at least as much as it could be. Smiling slightly, I let my eyes close and snuggled closer to Sirius' warmth. After another hour or so, Remus got up to finish making dinner, Lyla went back to the bedroom to gather laundry up so she could go downstairs in the apartment complex and do some household business and James switched the television off to take Blair and lay her down in Lyla and Remus' room so she could sleep a bit more.

Alone at last, I pulled my legs off Sirius' lap and sat on my knees so we could look at each other. "I think I'm going to tell Blair and Lyla about us." I said with a serious look on my face. He quirked his head to the side and then bit his lip.

"So does that mean whatever has been happening isn't going to be able to happen any longer?" He asked. I tried not to focus too much attention on his mouth as he raked his teeth over his lips but I failed epically before having to look away.

"It just means that I'm going to tell them so I don't feel paranoid or guilty whenever I want to be around you." I told him, smiling at Remus who turned around to grab something from the refrigerator and saw us talking. "Besides," I said while turning back to look at him. With a shove, I pushed him back into the couch cushions before getting up and standing with my hands on my hips. "I'm pretty positive that you've already told James and Remus and Peter."

He spluttered for a moment before sighing and getting up from the couch with a groan. Stretching his arms above his head and twisting his back, he let out another strained noise before ruffling my hair and going into the kitchen. "Remus, my friend, I think my blood sugar is dropping dangerously low. What are we grubbing on this fine evening?"

"You can't ignore me forever." I told him as I pulled up a chair to the counter and joined Remus and Sirius. "Who's ignoring who?" James asked as he put his hands on my shoulders and squeezed before taking a seat next to me.

"Probably Sirius and Alexa ignoring each other." Lyla said while trekking out of the hallway with a basket full of clothes. Immediately, all three boys leapt towards her to take the basket, but she fixed them with a look. "I'm not an invalid. This basket weighs less that two pounds. I'll bite your hands off and use your blood to repaint the baby's room if you take one move towards me." She said in a bland voice and they backed off as quickly as they had come.

Smiling, Lyla made her way towards the door, grabbing the detergent from the closet as she did so. "I'll come help with the laundry, Lyls." Sirius said and I glared at him before he winked and made his way out the door.

"Baby." I said and James and Remus looked at me before smiling. "So, boys, has Mr. Black been divulging any juicy secrets lately." By the way they both blushed and began to do pointless tasks around the kitchen, I knew I had my answer.

* * *

_Sirius's Point of View_

"Are you positive they're not coming back anytime soon, Remus?" Peter asked as he fidgeted around the small island in the kitchen of Remus and Lyla's oh so humble abode. I rolled my eyes at our naïve little friend and then slapped my hand on the counter.

"Alexa said they were going to get haircuts, their nails done, and then going to the movies. Trust in me, Wormy, we've got at least five hours of time before they infiltrate the house again." I said before leaning back in my seat, glad for once that the wooden barstools we were sitting on had backs. This place was a swanky upgrade from James' slightly off smelling bedroom. Or Remus's – sure to be occupied by rabid ants – backyard.

Rolling his eyes at me, James began the oath and we got down to brass tacks very quickly. "So, we need to get the Bachelor party down on lock and then we need to decide what you two are doing for your honeymoon." He gave Remus a hard look and then cut across him as he opened his mouth to speak. "Then, when all the good things are finished, we need to talk about Sirius and make sure that he and Alexa get their heads out of each other's asses."

It was silent for a moment as we all looked at James in confusion. "That was probably not the best metaphor in the book, Prongs, mate." Remus amended before James shrugged. Wondering why we had to talk about me, not that I really minded, I mean, come on, I'm pretty attractive, I raised my hand to interject.

"May I ask why we need to talk about my quasi-relationship with Alexa?" Thinking it over, James put a finger to his chin and then gave me a grin.

"No, I don't believe so. Now, on to the Bachelor party. Sirius, what do you have planned in ways of before the party?" He shot me a look and I rolled my eyes at my best mate before thinking of what I had planned.

"Well, we have to go somewhere that the girls will not show up at because I know for a fact that they are trying to go somewhere called Jigsaw, which is apparently a muggle pub in London or something. And they're going to a spa. So I figured it's a good thing we're not girls like that." I took a breath and then continued once I made sure everyone was still listening. You never know with us Marauders; we weren't known as the most studious in the bunch. "And since the party isn't the night before the wedding, we can get Reems here as drunk as we like. So we'll do a little party pre-gaming here first and then around ten we'll leave and go to the Headless Horsemen, which is a magical pub just outside of Diagon Alley."

"And if I don't want to drink?" Remus asked while grinning. My plan was ace; he knew he didn't have a choice.

"Then we'll hook you to an IV and put it directly into your bloodstream." I responded and James cheered while rocking back and forth on his chair. "Sounds like we've got all of that ready. Pete, anything to add?" James asked the skittish boy and he shook his head quickly before we continued on.

"I don't really want to talk about the honeymoon, you guys. Lyla said she'd rather us just save our money and go somewhere nice once we have the time later on in life." Remus said while looking at his fingertips. My heart went out to my friend, but I knew that we were going to turn that frown upside down in just a few minutes.

"Well, that's all nice and good," James said before standing up slightly and pulling some papers out of his back pocket, "But we had a little something else in mind."

At Remus' look, I snatched the papers from the counter so he couldn't look at them yet. "What is the one place that Lyla wants to go if she could get the chance?"

"Italy, why?" Remus asked, more than a little suspicious now.

"And later in life, you would take her if you got the money and the chance, right?" James asked.

"Of course. What are you all on about?" Crossing his thin arms, Remus narrowed his eyes at us.

"Well, later on in life you and Lyla will probably have ten kids and will not be foisting them off on us to babysit while you go traipsing around Italy. So why not just go now?" I told him and the werewolf looked between the three of us with a look of extreme confusion on his face.

Letting out a huff of annoyance, he threw his hands up and basically shouted at us from his side of the table. "What are you talking about? Tell me!" Laughing, I threw the papers across the table to him and he snatched them out of the air before opening the envelope. "You're out of your damn mind if you think I'm taking this."

"Unfortunately, you don't have a choice. Especially since there are seven tickets in there and we'll be using five of them whether or not you go." James said with a smirk so wide it was a miracle he didn't split his face open. "And don't even bother ignoring them. They've already been paid for."

"How did you even do this?" Remus asked in disbelief. "The house, the honeymoon, I can't take this stuff with no way to repay you all." I could tell he was working to hold back his emotions, but this close to the full moon I could tell it was taking a lot. So like the good friend I was, I stood up (going against Rule 76 of the code) and went around the side to give my best friend a man hug. James joined me, then Peter, and soon we were all huddled together talking at once.

"Parents pitched in." "Least we could do." "Not a big deal." We were all on the verge of very manly, very dramatic and tough tears when the door to the apartment swung open and Alexa, Blair, and Lyla peered in. They stared at us incredulously for a minute before we all sprung apart, James hastily slipping the code off of the island.

"I'm not sure I even want to know." Alexa said with slight laugh in her voice and I watched almost perplexed as she flipped her bangs out of her eyes. She was literally the bane of my existence when she did things like that. I don't even think she knew that I wanted her as my girlfriend again. Snapping out of it, I took the tickets that were now on the counter and tossed them to Blair.

She fumbled for a second and then got a good hold on them. Smiling when she saw what they were, she turned her doe eyes towards Lyla and held them out to her. "Lyla, since Remus is too blubbery right now to tell you himself," She pulled out a plane ticket and held them to Lyla, who took her hands from her pregnant belly and grabbed the ticket. "I'll tell you myself."

With a shriek, Lyla turned to all of us and then immediately burst into tears. Hopefully of joy, but you really never know when it comes to pregnant women.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	6. Rule 34: Invitations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don’t think you have the right to make that choice for me, Remus. I’m a grown woman, this is my party, and I’ll go where I want to.” With that, she made her way to the front of the disinterested line. Remus, Sirius, and I watched while Lyla gave the bounce a coy smile and he flashed a large set of white teeth at her before opening the rope and allowing her in.

_Rule 34: When inviting someone new to the group, it is unfavorable to try and curry favor with the new member unless said new member has already expressed favor towards an existing group member before being added into the group._

_Alexa's Point of View_

* * *

"We look so freaking hot that it is literally insane." Looking at Blair in the full-length mirror, I made a little twirl, watching as my black, mini-skirt flared out around me. I tucked my strappy white tank top into my skirt again, teetering on my glittery black pumps. Unbuttoning her cream colored blazer, Blair smoothed her hands down her gray high-waisted shorts and pale pink sequined tank top. "This is literally not a lie, you all. I feel like I could take advantage of someone tonight." Kicking her nude booties at her reflection in a cheerleader move, she winked at herself and then went to grab something from the bathroom.

"Damn, Lyla!" I heard my friend's voice echo down the retro hallway of the hotel we were staying at for the bachelorette party and then teetered down the way to where Blair was watching Lyla finish curling her hair. "Holy hell, mama." I let out a whistle as my sister rolled her eyes and then stood to full height.

Standing in a v-neck dress with no sleeves and a short hemline, her brown sparkling sandals making her almost my height, my sister looked like every young bride should. Most of all, the dress made her growing assets…well, they didn't look shabby, coming from a purely unbiased source. Anyway as she blinked her enhanced lashes at her reflection, I looked at each of us in the mirror.

We had all had our make-up professionally done today at the spa that my mother had booked for us, paid for by my gracious aunts who wanted my sister to have a fantastic time even though she wouldn't be partaking in any of the extra curricular activities. Blair's makeup had been left very natural, apart from her winged eyeliner that was dark and bold with a metallic black added to the end. Lyla had her make-up with lots of gold and brown with just a hint of a reddish bronze to compliment it all together.

Letting the make-up artist go all out with my own makeup, I blinked my eyes and watched as the navy and green played with the color in my eyes. My own dark eyeliner made the whites of my eyes stand out and the soft pink of my cheeks made me look healthy for a change. Tilting my hair back and forth, I watched in amusement as my straightened hair, now close to reaching my elbows when not in curls, fell like a wave. Then stopping, I looked up and smiled at my friends. "I agree with Blair; we look like badasses."

"Well, what are we doing in here looking at ourselves in the mirror? Let's get out there and get this party started!" As Blair walked over to the gramophone, Lyla sauntered her way out into the sunken living room of the hotel suite and began to dance around in her high heels, swaying to the music before being joined by Blair. Grabbing a few of the bottles I had stolen from Sirius' private stash the last time I was over at the Potter's residence, I made my way into the kitchen type area which had been stocked for our arrival.

Sure, there were only the three of us tonight, but we had wanted Lyla's Bachelorette party to be as fun and real as possible, even though the bride-to-be couldn't drink or anything. "Ladies," I called over the music and both girls swung to face me, their eyes alight with the anticipation of the evening I had planned for us. "I'd like to propose a toast to this very momentous occasion in Young Lyla's life."

Rolling her eyes, but smiling at me, Lyla grabbed the glass of sparkling grape juice I handed her while Blair took one of the shot glasses of tequila as well as a wedge of lime from the small porcelain bowl I had set the pieces in. Raising each of our glasses, we all clinked them as I made the toast. "To the best sister and mother around, and to a happy marriage full of love and," I paused as they both looked at me expectantly. "And, well, happiness!" We all cheered while Blair and I did shots and Lyla downed her cider like it was the real deal.

"When I have this little child, the first thing I'm going to do is make you all watch while I sit back and take shots." I laughed at my sister before setting my lime wedge on the counter top. Blair made a sour face before setting the fruit down as well and we looked towards Lyla for instruction. "I would like to know what we should be doing for my very insane party." She mused while gesturing around the streamer-ed room. Decorated in pink and purple and blue and silver banners saying 'Bride to be" and 'Number one Bride' and the like, the room looked like a confetti canon had blown up in it. Very tastefully, of course.

"Hmm. Tonight we shall," I was interrupted as through the telephone on the wall began to trill very loudly. "Bloody hell." I murmured while Blair turned the music down and Lyla poured herself another glass of juice. "Hello?" I spoke into the receiver and held the earpiece up so I could listen in.

"Yes, Ms. Parker? This is the front desk calling." A short voice staccato through the phone and I held it out for a minute before speaking again.

"Uhm, hello, front desk?" I said with curiosity coloring my voice, making my statement seem more like a question than intended. "This is Ms. Parker speaking."

"Very good. There are two visitors here to see you. They say that they were invited to a private function being held in your room for the night." Trying to think about who this could possibly be, and praying to Merlin that Blair didn't order strippers like she had jokingly (or at least I thought) said she was going to do, I told the woman to send the visitors up and then walked over to the doors of the suite.

"Blair, I swear to all the beings above, if you ordered any type of dancer or," Swinging the door open as a knock sounded, I let out a surprised, and not entirely happy noise. "Lydia."

"I don't believe I ordered Lydia to the party, Alexa, but that was a good try. Now who's at the door?" Blair asked while lining up another tequila shot. Looking at my younger cousin with disdain in my eye, I rolled my heavily lined eyes before walking over and stealing Blair's shot. Downing the bitter liquid quickly, I sucked on the wedge of lime I had abandoned before and fought against my gag reflex. I really wished we'd gotten salt before hand.

"Lydia is at the door, dear Blair." Nodding over to where our cousin was standing in her white stilettos, short red dress, and curly hair, I slammed the shot glass back on the counter. Could we never do anything in this family that didn't get gate crashed by this little home-wrecker? Sighing, I watched as Lyla tilted her head and peered at Lydia.

Straightening back up, Lyla walked back over to the music and turned it up before smiling at our confused cousin. "Since you're already here, you might as well stay and make sure nothing bad happens to any of us tonight. It's my party, and I won't be the one babysitting." Then with a large smile, she shouted 'Monica' and raced towards the door as carefully as she could in her enormous heels.

Coming around the corner and brushing past a bewildered Lydia, I peeked over Lyla's head and smiled when I saw my oldest cousin. "I didn't think you were going to be able to come!" I said while hugging my cousin and laughing when she pulled out a bottle of Whiskey from her small, obviously enlarged on the inside, clutch.

"Well, my husband got to go out with his friends, so who says I can't go out with my cousin for her bachelorette party?" With a wink, she shut the door and then made her way to the kitchen while setting her bottle down and hugging Blair as well. Looking over to Lyla, I shrugged and linked arms with her before joining the rest of the girls in another round of shots.

"Now that we are all fairly on our way to being inebriated," Blair said with a laugh as she took a large swig of soda to chase away the burning aftertaste in her mouth. "Will you please tell us what the plan is for the night? I'm having as much fun as we always do, but when we look this nice, we need to go out on the town."

"And that we shall do, my good friend." Turning towards everyone, I put my hands on my hips and smiled. "Now originally, I had told Sirius that we were going to a muggle club called Jigsaw just outside of London."

"Are you out of your damn mind right now?" Lyla asked as her eyes bugged out of her pretty little face. "That place is where you go to get taken advantage of and mugged. I really do not want to be killed before my wedding and baby get here." She said in an outraged voice and I couldn't help but laugh at her face.

Blair laughed along as well before adding her own opinion. "I'm not going to lie to you, Alexa. That place is literally a playground for the seedy and shady people of the world." Lydia and Monica remained quiet and stood watching me while I continued to laugh at all of their faces.

"Which is precisely why we won't be going there. I have to tell Sirius stupid shit like that so he won't think we're going to be going anywhere that is totally awesome. I have to win for the best party. It's not an option at this point." While everyone rolled their eyes, I adjusted the necklace that lay on my shirt and waited for them to stop judging.

Crossing her own eyes, Lydia looked at me like I was an idiot talking in a room of geniuses. Newsflash: you're not cool. "Then where exactly do you plan on going?"

Smiling widely, I looked to Lyla and said, "The Headless Horseman." Her eyes widened and then she too smiled in appreciation while getting up and finishing off the rest of her juice. "What are we waiting for then? I've been wanting to go to that club since I heard about it."

"Lyla, you wanted to go to a club?" Monica asked in a surprised voice and Lyla looked at her in shock.

"Monica, this is not simply a club. This is where all the high-class people go to hang out and get their picture taken for the daily prophet. You have to be on a list to even get in the door. How you pulled this off is beyond me." She said while turning towards me and pulling me into a hug.

"James's mom knew one of the people that works security there and he pulled a few strings to get us on the list. It really wasn't even my doing." As we all gathered up our few things we were taking with us, I laid the rest of the plan on them as well. "We're also going to eat dinner in the hotel before we go. Can't have us all clubbing on an empty stomach. Besides, the car won't be arriving until around eleven to take us anyway."

Making one last look in the mirror, I pursed my lips before walking towards the door and shutting the light off before stepping into the hallway and closing the door. Then walking towards the elevator, I stepped in and we closed the gate before pressing the button that would take us to the main floor to where we would grab dinner. The bell dinged a few floors later, and as we stepped out, a group of men dressed and suits stepped on, glancing at us as we walked by. Turning back around, we caught one more glimpse of them as the gate shut and Blair threw them a wink as it did so.

"This is going to be one fantastic night." She said with a smile and I rolled my eyes before linking arms with her and catching up with Monica, Lydia, and Lyla who were waiting for us by the restaurant's door.

After a lovely dinner and drinks, as well as a few more glasses of champagne and liquor in the car, we were all feeling very loose as we got to the Headless Horseman. Stepping out of the car and swinging my legs around so I wouldn't flash everyone my underwear, I stood a bit shakily on the curb and smiled at the bright flashing lights on the top o the club's roof. Linking hands with Lyla who was climbing out after me, I bounced around a bit with my excited sister.

"This is going to be so much bloody fun!" Lyla said as we moved over and waited for Lydia, Monica, and finally Blair to get out of the car. With smiles, we all made our way to the front door and the short line of the club. We were all chatting loudly, while Lydia tried to keep us all from falling over, when I saw a particularly familiar green button down shirt. One that I had forced Sirius to buy while we went shopping one day.

To make things even more peculiar, the shirt was attached to a torso the led up to a neck and head of extremely shaggy black hair that I had been telling him to cut for weeks. "You've got to be kidding me." I said out loud, loud enough, it turned out, for most of the line to turn and look at us. Including Sirius, Remus, James, and Peter, all of who were looking at us with shock on their faces.

"What are you doing here?" Sirius asked in a shocked voice, looking me up and down and then turning to look at the rest of us as well. "And why the hell are you dressed like you're open for business?"

"I'm going to ignore that statement because I'm sure you've had plenty to drink tonight, Sirius." Lyla said while putting her hand on her hip and narrowing her eyes at Sirius. I rolled my own eyes at him while countering his question with one of my own.

"The real question is what are you all doing here? Did you all know that this is what I had planned for my party?" I said with a glare and James and Remus rolled their eyes at all of our antics. A fairly inebriated Blair smiled at James before giving in and wrapping her arms around his waist. "Who cares? Now I can dance with my boyfriend instead of finding random men to hang out with all night!" She said with a loud laugh.

James looked slightly shocked and then shook his head when he realized she was joking. After wrapping his arm around her waist, he shrugged at Sirius and Remus. "I don't really care. We can stay or go, but we're already both here and I'm pretty sure this is one time that putting competition aside would be the right thing to do. This is one of the hottest places to be right now."

"I'm not particularly sure I want my fiancé to be at this club right now, though, seeing as she is carrying my child." Remus said to Lyla, who raised an eyebrow at him before crossing her arms over her chest.

"I don't think you have the right to make that choice for me, Remus. I'm a grown woman, this is my party, and I'll go where I want to." With that, she made her way to the front of the disinterested line, Blair and James following while talking to each other and laughing every once in awhile. Lydia, Monica, Remus, Sirius, and I watched while Lyla gave the bounce a coy smile and he flashed a large set of white teeth at her before opening the rope and allowing her in.

"Bloody hell." Remus said while raking a hand over his face and stalking in after Lyla. Not, however, before sparing me a glance that read he was very mad at me for allowing her to come out. Feeling myself deflate slightly, I gestured Lydia and Monica ahead, telling Lydia to make sure no one got out of hand.

Turning to Sirius, I crossed my arms over my chest before looking him in the eye. "How'd you know we were going to be here?" I asked him while raising my eyebrows. He rolled his eyes before reaching for my elbow and pulling me closer to him, which I did after stumbling slightly trying to resist. In these heels it was just easier to not be mad.

"At this point, I have no clue how we ended up at the same place, just that I'm slightly buzzed and you look very nice in your clothes. Also that I want to dance with you." He tilted his head slightly to look at me with a smirk, and I felt my cheeks flare as the blood rushed to my head and my stomach exploded into butterflies.

Taking a deep breath, I let my curiosity slip away before taking his hand and pulling him into the club with me. Going from the bright outside world into the dark smokiness of the club was a shock to my senses and I strained my eyes slightly to see inside the darkness. There was a DJ up at the front of the dance floor, where people were dancing around and throwing their hands around. Along the sides of dance floor there were booths full of people as well as tall tables with stools where women and men sat and watched the partygoers or sipped drinks and talked. Then lit up by neon lighting, not as bright as outside, but still lighting a side of the room, was the bar. Spotting James and Blair at one of the booths closest to the bar, I dragged Sirius with me and scooted into the booth.

"Where is the rest of the crew?" Sirius asked taking a seat next to me and placing a hand on my knee under the table. Even in her drunken state, I could tell Blair did not miss the move. Raising an eyebrow at Sirius, he shrugged his shoulder and smirked back at her.

As her eyes lit up, she gestured towards the dance floor in answer and then pointed at me. "You and me, to the bar, right now." She sounded less than menacing than I'm sure she would have liked, but I followed her anyway, needing a drink and getting the thrill of climbing over Sirius and making him sweat a little bit. When we were safely seated at a barstool and waiting for our drinks to arrive, she turned to me, full Cheshire grin on her face. "When were you going to tell Lyla and I that you and Sirius were shagging each other senseless again?"

My face flushed again and I took a large drink of the mixed cocktail the bartender had just sat down in front of me. "Because I knew you would react like this and Lyla would react in a way that she was happy but also slightly disapproving. And I didn't want to tell anyone. It's kind of embarrassing, isn't it?"

Contemplating this for a moment, Blair then looked at me and shrugged her shoulder. "I mean, you love each other, that much is clear. And you can't retaliate and say that you don't have some sort of feelings for him, even though you two are stupidly broken up right now. So why should it be embarrassing?"

"Stupidly broken up? Are you saying that you all think we should have stayed together through everything?" I felt dumbfounded as Blair played with the rim of her pink and orange cocktail. She looked around the bar for a minute before I finished off my drink and gestured for the bartender to send over another.

"Look, Alex, I'm not saying that you all haven't had hardships, but you belong together. And no one should keep you two apart; not even yourself." With that, she dug a few Knuts and a sickle out of her pockets and then we made our way back to the table. Trying not to let my head spin from the words Blair had just thrown on me and the drinks that we had just put away, I smiled at my sister, Remus, James, and Monica who were all sitting at the table we had been at.

"Where's Lydia and Peter?" I asked while I sat my glass down on the table and looked around the club. I couldn't see them until James pointed to one of the writhing couples off to the side in the corner. Looking thoroughly drunk and like he was having the time of his life, Peter Pettigrew was dancing with my younger cousin, who I knew for a fact was not drunk and who looked to be enjoying herself anyway.

Now, don't get me wrong. Peter is a nice guy with a semi-sense of humor and good friends. He is not, however, someone that I would want to get sweaty with on a dance floor. Especially not if I was sober enough to remember it the next day. Speaking of dancing, I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to see Sirius grinning down at me. Tilting his head down so he could speak in my ear, he asked, "Want to do a much better, less spastic version of dancing?"

Looking over at Remus, Lyla, and Monica who were all chatting and then Blair and James who were snogging in the booth, I took his hand and nodded my head. "As long as you manage to keep me up and walking, I think we'll have a blast." Then, I grabbed Lyla's freehand in my own. "Why don't we all get out there on the dance floor and show this place how to dance Hogwarts style?" I said with a smile and Lyla rolled her eyes at me before dragging Remus up with her. Remus, not wanting to be the only boy dancing with just Sirius as a wingman, grabbed James' collar and drug both he and Blair from the booth.

"I'll pass on this one." Monica said with a smile before settling back into her chair more. I shrugged and we made our way to the dance floor, the original crew back in business again. Dancing with Sirius, I put my hands over his shoulders and leaned forward to speak in his ear. "Want to know one of my favorite parts about you?"

Looking at me with a raised eyebrow, he tilted his head to the side and slid his hands down my waist so they rested on my hips. As we swayed back and forth, not necessarily in time with the music, I touched his slightly parted lips with my index finger. "You have perfectly straight, white teeth. I envy them."

"You may be partially insane." He told me, putting his forehead to mine and then very slowly leaning his head down to capture my lips with his own. Sliding my tongue along his teeth, I wrapped my arms tighter around his neck and pulled myself closer as Sirius tightened his hold on my hips, sliding them up my body a bit more and pulling me up towards him. When we parted, I caught my breath, feeling my friends' eyes on me. "I think we have an audience." He whispered against my damp neck, sweat beginning to coat my back.

Putting my hand to my lips, I casually wiped them off and then bit my bottom lip slightly. Turning to face the rest of my friends, I noticed that Blair and James had taken this moment to thoroughly remove themselves from any sorts of human activity and were flailing around the dance floor like robots. I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my lips as I watched them for a moment. Then, I turned back to look at Lyla who, instead of a stern look on her face, looked like she was going to yell in joy.

"Finally, you two have pulled your heads out of your asses!" She shouted across the thumping music at me. I laughed loudly as Sirius wrapped his hands around my from behind and smirked over my shoulder. "Technically I still haven't asked her to be my girlfriend again." He remarked and Lyla just rolled her eyes before Remus pulled her back towards him and started to dance with her again. From the slight glaze in his eyes, I could tell he was drunk.

As it should be, I thought as I pulled Sirius off the dance floor with me and fought my way through the crowd to sit at the table that had been occupied by Monica. "Thank Merlin! I've had to use the loo for ages now!" She cried while leaping up and hurrying to the loo without a second glance. Not being able to contain my giggles, I slid into the booth and then curled myself into Sirius' side, draping my tired legs across his under the table.

"So, if you're not going to ask me to be your girlfriend right now, then can I ask you to be my boyfriend?" I said with my best coy expression I could manage. Running his fingers across my exposed collarbone, Sirius tilted my chin back with his forefinger and then smiled widely at me.

"No, I don't suppose so. If you asked I'd probably say no." He was smiling but I felt the confusion and warning signs blaring in my ears through my drunken haze.

"Excuse me?" I stuttered and Sirius laughed his bark-like laugh before leaning down and kissing me quickly on the lips. Then, nuzzling my neck and placing a kiss right below my jawbone, he pulled back and looked at me with a slight fire in his eyes. I felt myself flush just looking at him.

"Because, this time around, it's going to be perfect." He said and the flush that had taken over my bodies intensified and made my insides melt. Flinging my arms around him and squeezing him tightly, I felt a huge sense of relief that I hadn't felt since we broke up in April. Even though we weren't technically back together, everyone knew. And we were well on our way to making this right again.

Pulling back, I looked him in the eye and smiled for real this time; a true smile of happiness, nothing else bothering me. "Take me home?" I said feeling like I was walking on air. He nodded his head before taking my hand and then, finally, we left together.

* * *

_Lyla's POV_

"Well, I must say, Mr. Lupin, you are a tad bit drunk this evening," I joked, as Remus held me tightly, stumbling around the dance floor.

"Well, I must say, soon to be Mrs. Lupin, that you are a tad bit not drunk," he said. I just laughed at his rebuttal. I didn't get to see Remus like this often, especially as of late, but he just seemed so carefree and happy. There was no worry on his face, just pure joy. Remus tucked a stray hair behind my ear and smiled at me. "I am the luckiest guy in the whole world, did you know that?"

"And why is that?" I coyly asked.

"Because I have you," he said simply. He leaned down and placed a loving kiss on my lips, lingering there for a moment.

"Good answer," I told him with a smile. "I need to get some air, want to come with me?" Remus nodded his head and I took his hand leading him toward the door. As we made our way through the throngs of people, I noticed that Sirius and Alexa had disappeared. I felt a rush of happiness for my sister. Things were finally starting to work out for her and she and Sirius would finally be back together soon!

Once outside, I breathed in the cool summer air that washed over my hot skin. I welcomed the cool air and wiped the slight covering of sweat that had formed on the back of my neck. I leaned up against the wall of the club and rested my hands on my stomach. Remus slid next to me and I could feel his eyes on me. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm great," I told him, "I've honestly never felt better." The normalcy of the evening was so refreshing. It was the first time in a long time that I felt even a semblance of my old self.

"If you want to head home, we can head out right now," he told me, wanting to make sure I wasn't over doing it.

"Absolutely not," I said definitively. "Tonight is all about having fun and letting off some steam; I'm not going to cut that short."

"Oh, don't worry about that Lyla," he told me. "I'll take you home and if I feel like it, I'll come back and meet back up with the boys." At this, I pushed myself off of the wall and turned toward Remus.

"And why is it okay that you stay out tonight, but I can't?" I questioned. "Last time I checked, this was my hen night." Remus put his hands up, signaling me to slow down for a second.

"Lyla, I'm just thinking of you," he tried to explain. "You're nearly five months pregnant, you shouldn't be staying out to all hours of the night. We're about to have a baby, we can't do whatever we want anymore."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "No, what you mean is that I can't do whatever I want anymore," I said, my voice rising slightly. "Is this how it's going to be, Remus? Me at home with the baby while you go out doing whatever you please?"

"Now, you know I didn't mean it like that," Remus said, sounding irritated. "I was merely pointing out that lifestyle changes are going to have to be made once we are married and once the baby arrives."

"Lifestyle changes for who?" I questioned him. "I understand that I'm not going to be able to go out every night and party when the baby arrives, but just because we are getting married and having a child doesn't mean that I am going to become this perfect, submissive little housewife. I may be carrying this child, Remus, but we are in this together."

"You are just being ridiculous, now," he told me. "You know damn well that I am fully in this and that I in no way expect you to care for our baby on your own. This is just the pregnancy hormone talking."

"Is it?" I laughed slightly. "Then why did you suggest that I should go home while you stay out all night with your boys?"

"Okay, Lyla, you got me!" Remus exclaimed dramatically. "To be honest, I don't entirely feel comfortable having my pregnant-soon-to-be-wife staying in a club all night. I worry about you. I worry that you're going to have another episode like you did in Hogsmeade. I worry that some random person is going to try to hurt you. So, yes, I would rather have you safe at home than have you hanging around sleazy guys in a bar all night."

I shook my head as he spoke. "This isn't about making sure I'm safe, this is about your insecurities," I told him. Maybe it was the hormones acting up, but I could almost feel the anger bubbling up inside of me. "Ever since Lucas, anytime that we are around other guys besides the Marauders, you get all weird as if you're just waiting for me to jump into some other guy's arms. If you haven't noticed, I'm sort of committed to you." I pointed to my stomach when I spoke this last sentence.

"That is bullshit, and you know it," Remus said angrily. "This has nothing to do with Lucas. And for you to even think that just shows how much you truly know about me."

"You know, Remus," tears welling up in my eyes, "you're right. After tonight, I have no clue who you really are because you clearly aren't the man that I thought I was going to be marrying." With that, I turned away from him and went to find Blair. I grabbed my purse that I had brought, told Blair that I was heading home and not to worry. She said that she'd be at the hotel with James if I needed anything and to be careful.

When I exited the club once again, Remus was still out there standing in the same place. He moved to follow me as I walked down the street but I turned quickly toward him, stopping him right in his tracks. "Don't follow me, Lupin." I told him sternly. "I mean it." Remus just stood there and I turned my back to him and continued down the street. I didn't know where I was going to go, but I knew that I couldn't go back to our apartment.

As I walked away from the club, I had to force myself not to look back. I knew that if I looked back and saw Remus, I was going to completely lose it. When I had walked quite a good distance, I snuck a quick peek over my shoulder and saw that Remus had headed my warning and didn't follow me. I was wandering aimlessly, but deep down I knew where I was going to end up.

My feet stopped instinctively and I looked up and took in the sight of my old house. I had never seen it look more welcoming. All the lights were off except for a dull glow coming from the living room. I fingered the familiar house key that mother had insisted I keep and walked up the walkway to the big door. Opening the door as quietly as I could, I slipped inside and shut the door behind me.

I stepped further into the house and peeked into the living room. Sirius and Alexa were sitting on the couch, holding each other closely. I just smiled when I thought of those two finally getting back together. Neither of them had fully admitted that they were back together, but I could tell that they would be back to normal in no time. They finally could stop sneaking around and thinking that none of us knew, when we pretty much knew the entire time.

Not wanting to interrupt whatever was going on with them, I quickly snuck past the living room and headed up the stairs, making sure to skip over the particularly squeaky step at the top of the staircase. I also didn't want to have to explain why I showed up here in the middle of the night. Once I was safely closed up in Alexa's old room, and mine I dug through the dresser to find any sort of clothing that would fit me. I had left some clothes behind when I moved, but none of it fit me with my ever-growing abdomen. I finally discovered an old pair of sweatpants and an extremely oversized shirt and quickly changed out of the dress that I had adorned for the evening out.

When I moved out my parents had bought Alexa a new bed and had gotten rid of the old twin beds that we had slept on since we were young. Hoping Alexa wouldn't mind, I pulled the covers back and eased myself onto the bed. As I became more pregnant it became harder and harder to fall asleep. I could never get comfortable. I tossed and turned for a while before I finally fell asleep.

I woke up suddenly the next morning with a sharp intake of air. I stretched out my tight joints and rubbed my stomach as I shifted slightly in the bed. When I opened my eyes my heart skipped a beat at what I say. "Oh my goodness," I whispered, my hand to my chest as I say Alexa and Sirius sitting at the foot of the bed on either side of my legs. "What on earth are you two doing?" I questioned and I pulled myself up into a sitting position.

"I think we could ask you the same question," Sirius said, shaking his hair out of his eyes.

"You can only imagine my surprise when I ventured up to my room late last night only to find my bed otherwise occupied," Alexa said, very business-like. "And let me tell you, it's nearly impossible for me to share a bed with you anymore what with that baby bump of yours and the incessant tossing and turning." I gave Alexa an apologetic smile and she continued. "Now, dear sister, care to explain why you have taken residence in my bed?"

I looked down at my fingers and then back up at my sister and my friend. "Remus and I had a fight," I told them. "I couldn't go back to the apartment and I didn't know where else to go."

Alexa's face softened and she put her hand on my knee. "You are always welcome here, Lyls," she told me. "Now, tell us what happened."

I relayed the whole argument to them and saying it all again to myself and to others just made it that much more real. It was really easy for me to pretend that it hadn't happened until I actually told somebody else. "And then, I came here, saw you and Sirius in the living room and just decided to go to bed," I finished. "That brings us to now."

"Remus better check himself," Alexa said angrily. "How could he even say those things to you?"

I suddenly felt kind of bad for talking bad about Remus. "Well, in his defense, he was a little drunk," I offered.

"No, Lyls," Alexa said quickly, "Don't make excuses for him. He should have never said those things. He's made his bed and now he's got to lay in it." I looked to Sirius with a slight smile as Alexa went off on a slight tangent. "Sirius, you better talk to Remus and tell him to get his ass in gear."

"Yes dear," Sirius said, putting his hand on Alexa's, which was resting on the bed. Alexa pulled her hand away and began to blush furiously. Sirius smirked uncontrollably and I just shook my head at his antics.

"Anyways," Alexa said abruptly, standing up, "Sirius, if you'll please vacate the room, Lyla and I shall get ready for the coming day. Off you go." Alexa motioned toward the door and Sirius happily removed himself from the room.

"I'll just be downstairs with Evon and Gary," he informed us. Once Sirius had headed down the stairs, Alexa closed the door behind him and rejoined me on the bed.

"So, how are you really?" Alexa asked me.

I shrugged my shoulders at first. I was feeling all sort of different things and I honestly was unsure of the feelings that I was actually feeling and those that were because of the baby. "Well, I'm still pretty pissed at Remus and I'm honestly a little embarrassed about running here after the fight. I mean, we just moved in together, we're about to get married, we have a fight and the first thing I do is run home to Mommy and Daddy."

"Oh, Lyla," Alexa said, "You may be getting married but you're still only seventeen years old. You and Remus got into a fight and you freaked out about it. That's completely understandable. Any grown woman would probably have done the same thing you did if she were in the same situation. You and Remus have a home but this will always be your home too and you're always welcome here." I gave her a nod and then she pulled me into a hug. "Now, you hop in the shower and I'll find some clothes for you to wear."

I headed into the familiar bathroom and let the hot water soothe my stiff back and wash away the remnants of last night. Alexa had found an oversized white button-down shirt and some black leggings for me to wear and she had placed them neatly on the edge of her bed. After changing into the clean clothes and throwing my wet locks into a messy bun, I headed down to the living room where Alexa and Sirius were talking.

"Well, don't we look revived?" Alexa said with a smile. Sirius got up from his seat on the couch next to Alexa and moved to the chair positioned across from the couch. I took the previously occupied seat next to my sister and leaned against the back of the couch. "Mama and Dad left for work while you were in the shower, but they said that if you wanted to stay for dinner they'd really like to see you." I nodded my head, not really sure where I was going to be come dinnertime.

"So, Moony knows you came here last night, right?" Sirius questioned.

"No," I shook my head sheepishly. "I told him not to follow me and then I left."

Alexa's mouth dropped and she hit me on the arm. "Lyla!" she exclaimed. "You just left without telling anyone where you were going? For all he knows, you could be dead in a ditch somewhere."

"When I left, I honestly didn't even know where I was going," I said defending myself. "In hindsight, walking around that late at night by myself was probably not the best idea, but at the time I just had to get out of there and I just wanted to be alone. Plus, if I had told Remus where I was going, he would have come over here and wanted to talk about it."

"You guys are going to have to talk about it eventually," Alexa said matter-of-factly. "You guys are getting married in a week and should probably get all this sorted out before then." When I didn't say anything in response Alexa continued. "You are going to talk to Remus about this aren't you?"

"Well, of course I'm going to talk to him about it," I told her, putting her at ease. "I just don't know when. I have a week to figure it out," I joked. Sirius laughed slightly with me, but Alexa didn't think it was funny.

"What is with you?" Alexa asked. "All you and Remus used to want to do was to talk about your feelings and all that mess. Your feelings toward each other, your feelings toward others, others' feelings; you love talking about feelings, Lyla. Now, you don't want to talk about it at all? What's that about?"

I rolled my eyes at my sister and looked past her exaggerated comments about my love of feelings. "I don't know, Alexa," I said, not really wanting to go into the real reasons. Alexa and Sirius just both stared back at me, clearly telling me that we weren't going to move on from the subject until I gave them a legit answer. "Okay, I just feel like I can't talk to him sometimes. And he's driving me crazy with this whole pregnancy thing. I know he only means well, but he is smothering me," I vented.

"It's like I can't make a damn move anymore without him freaking out about something. I can't lift anything because he's afraid it might be too heavy and I'll put stress on the baby. He won't let me use magic because I could over do it and hurt the baby. And ever since the whole Lucas thing, he thinks I'm going to just run off and fall in love with the next bloke that I see." I bit my bottom lip slightly and tugged at the hem of my shirt.

"I love our baby and I'm doing everything to make sure nothing happens to it while it's still in there," I said pointing to my stomach, "But Remus has gone overboard. It's like he doesn't see me as his fiancée anymore, I'm just a baby incubator. And he's freaking out so much about money and what's going to happen once the baby gets here that he's missing being with me right now.

"I know I should be grateful that I have someone who's willing to do all these things for me, but I can't just sit and do nothing. I'm kind of a control freak and not being able to control my own life is killing me. The only think I could control were my thoughts. So, I kept them to myself and kind of shut him out because anytime I tried to talk to him about anything I would get nowhere. To answer your question, that is why I don't feel like talking to him."

Alexa and Sirius just looked at me, not really knowing what to say. "Damn," Sirius said, breaking the silence. "I am so glad I'm not Moony right now."

"Wow, that really sucks." Alexa said bluntly. "That truly is a downer." I nodded my head in agreement. "Can I do anything to help?" she offered. I could tell by her expression that she was hoping I would say no, I just smiled at her and shook my head. She let out a sigh of relief and patted my knee. "Well, let us know if we can do anything."

Quickly jumping at the opportunity to change the subject I said, "So, are you two back together? I notice that you guys are an 'us' again."

Alexa's eyes widened and she tensed up nervously. "I don't know what you're talking about," she denied. This was classic Alexa. "When I said 'us' I was just referring to our duties of Maid of Honor and Best Man; nothing more."

"Not yet, anyways," Sirius muttered under his breath. Alexa gave him a look and then turned back to me with a smile. "He means nothing by that," Alexa continued for him. "There is nothing going on."

"Well, you two seemed pretty cozy last night," I pointed out.

"Yeah, well you know what happens to me when I drink," she said defensively. "I do dumb shit! I make bad decisions and get way to flirty for my own good. I will literally flirt with anything. Sirius was there so I flirted with him but that's it. And the only reason he stayed here last night was because…" she paused here for a moment trying to figure out what to say next. "Because there was a slight chill late last night, Sirius didn't have a jacket and I didn't want him to catch a cold. Could you imagine if he had a runny nose during your wedding? Sniffling and sniffling all over the place. Annoying. I did you a favor. You're welcome."

"Thank you," I told her with a smile. Sirius was watching Alexa as she squirmed under the pressure and was laughing. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

Alexa willingly got up from her seat and rushed to the door. When she opened the door I heard an all too familiar voice say, "Please tell me that Lyla is here." Sirius looked over at me obviously recognizing Remus's voice as well.

"Yeah, she's here." Alexa said leaning against the door. "She's right inside." I could hear Remus move to come in but Alexa stepped in his way. "I don't know if you should come in Reems, Lyla's not too happy with you right now."

"I understand that, Alex, but that's exactly why I need to talk to her," he said. "I need to make things right."

Alexa leaned her head back slightly so she could see me and gave me a questioning look. I knew I should give him a chance to explain, but I just didn't want to do it right then. I shook my head slowly at her and she nodded back. "Remus, I just don't think it's a good idea."

There was a silent pause for a moment and then Remus spoke again. "Lyls, sweetheart, I know you can hear me in there," he said. I looked over at the door picturing Remus on the porch. "You have to believe me that I am truly sorry. I just want to talk to you, please. I love you."

I pulled myself off the couch and slowly walked over to where Alexa was standing. I came around the other side of the door and saw Remus. He looked like he hadn't slept all night but when he saw me I could almost see the relief on his face. Alexa headed back into the living room and left Remus and I alone.

"Hey," he said with a smile. I gave him a slight smile and then took his hand bringing him into the house and closing the door behind him. I led him into the living room and Remus and Sirius exchanged a few words before we continued out into the backyard. We sat down on the patio chairs and just looked at each other. "I'm glad you're okay," he started. "I was worried about you last night when you didn't come home."

"I'm sorry I worried you," I told him. I honestly didn't know what else to say. Literally, in my mind, there was nothing. Just blank.

"Damn it, Lyla!" Remus said harshly. "What do I have to say to get you to forgive me; hell, to say more than ten words to me?" He ran his fingers through his hair like he always did when he was worried. "What is going on with you lately? You've been distant and I don't know what's going on in your head."

"I've been distant lately because you are suffocating me," I said frankly. "You are constantly on me about stuff with the baby and I feel like I can't even make a move without either running it by you first. I can't live like that Remus, I just can't. I like doing things for myself." I felt tears stinging my eyes but I kept them from falling. "And I don't know what you're expecting out of me as a mother and wife but if you expect me to be this 1950s house wife, I don't think I can do that."

Remus let out a sigh and rubbed his forehead. "I'm honestly sorry that I said any of that last night," he said. "I was a little drunk last night and I wasn't thinking clearly. I in no way expect you to be a certain kind of wife or mother, Lyls. If you love me and our daughter, that's good enough for me."

"You may not have meant it, but you still said it, and I can't help but think that maybe, subconsciously, that's what you want," I said, thinking out loud. "But that just scratches the surface, Remus. You have got to back off a bit with this whole protective thing. I cannot stand it anymore. I am not made of glass; I'm not going to break. I know my limits and I promise that I will not do anything that I think will put the baby or myself in danger."

"But what happened in Hogsmeade could happen again, and you didn't see that coming at all. You didn't realize there was a problem until after the fact," he argued.

"That was an extreme case, Remus," I pointed out. "Doing a simple spell to clean something up is not the same as casting several defensive spells right in a row. I know when to stop."

"See, I worry that you won't stop though," he confessed. "You are fiercely independent, Lyla, and that's one of the many things I love about you, but you will push yourself and push yourself before you'll ask someone else for help. There are just things that you can't do while you're pregnant but I know that you'll want to try them all."

I laughed slightly and shook my head. "That's absurd!" I exclaimed. "I have no problem asking others for help, I ask for help all the time."

It was Remus's turn to laugh. "You also have that Parker stubbornness that you and your sister both share," he said coolly. "I'm just trying to make sure you stay safe and that the baby stays safe. We can't only think of ourselves anymore, we also have to think of the baby."

All I've been thinking about since the day I found out that I was pregnant was the baby! What I said next I really didn't think through but I said it anyways. "Well, I think the baby and I just need a break," I told him. "Let's just see how I do when I'm not under your watchful eye. And if I somehow screw this baby up, I will admit that you were right."

Remus shook his head again. "This isn't about who's right or wrong, Lyla," he said.

"Regardless," I responded, "I think we just need some time apart."

I saw Remus's jaw clench tightly together as if he was biting back his anger. The full moon was coming up and I knew it was hard for him to control his emotions. "You want to take some time apart a week before we're supposed to be getting married?" he questioned. I nodded my head, unable to speak. "Fine, take all the time that you need. I'll be gone for the next four days for the full moon, so feel free to stay at the apartment, I won't be there."

"I think I'll just stay here, but thanks," I spoke quietly.

He stood up from his chair and looked at me before he turned to leave. "I'll be back in four days," he said again. "I know you're pissed, but I still love you and I still plan on marrying you in a week. I hope you'll decide to come home by the time I get back." After he said this, he turned his back to me and went back into the house to exit through the front door.

When he was gone completely, I closed my eyes and placed my hands on my stomach. I felt like I should be apologizing to the baby. I felt guilty for fighting with Remus. I didn't want us to be the kind of parents who fought about everything; I didn't want our kid to have to deal with that. I truly believed the time apart would be good for us. We could both calm down a bit and get out of each other's hair; but this wasn't what marriage was. Marriage was about facing problems head-on, together. I suddenly was filled with this awful feeling that I was going to be the most terrible wife.

Alexa joined me outside after a few moments and took the seat that Remus had been sitting in. She didn't say anything at first; she just smiled at me sympathetically. "Don't worry, Lyls, Remus will come around; he always does," she assured me. I gave her a weak smile. "Sirius went with Remus to make sure he didn't do anything stupid, with the full moon coming and all. I'm sure he'll be fine though."

"Do you mind if I stay here with you for a few days?" I asked.

She quickly nodded her head. "Of course, I'd be happy to have you in the old room again," she told me. "It'll be just like old times. We'll have chatsies until the sun comes up, we'll do each other's hair, and gossip about countless numbers of people; we'll do it up big." At this I laughed. Alexa could put me in the worst mood sometimes, but she also always knew how to make me laugh and pull me out of my inner darkness.

"Come on," she continued, extending her hand to me from her now standing position. "Let's go inside, laze about, and then when Mum and Dad get home, we'll tell them that you went to the doctors today and found out that you're having twins. They'll freak out, it'll be hilarious, and we'll both be in a better mood." I took Alexa's hand and we headed back into the house and just sat about like old times. We sent word to Blair that we requested her presence for a sleep over and she eagerly showed up not thirty minutes later, a large bag packed with all sorts of goodies.

A couple hours later, an owl landed at the kitchen window and began to tap at the glass. Blair hopped off the floor and ran to the kitchen to see what the owl had and returned with a delicately folded letter. Blair was looking at the letter quizzically. "Who is it for?" I questioned.

She looked up from the paper and said, "It's addressed to all of us," she said, confused. "Who would send a letter to your house addressed to all of us?"

Alexa pulled Blair to the floor where we were sitting and took the letter from her. "Well, to be fair, we are together all the time," she laughed. "Either that, or whoever sent this letter has been creeping in the bushes or a nearby tree and know that we're all here together." I rolled my eyes at my dear sister and encouraged her to open the letter. Alexa unfolded the letter and her eyes lit up. "It's from Lily!" she exclaimed, scandalously. "This is so random."

"She did say that she would write at the concert," Blair said trying to make sense of all this. "But I never thought that she would actually do it! The fact that she remembers promising us to write is quite remarkable given the state she was in when she said that."

"Well, what the hell did she say?" I asked impatiently.

Alexa cleared her throat and began to read the letter. "Dear Lyla, Alexa and Blair. I hope you ladies are doing well and are thoroughly enjoying your summer. It was absolutely delightful to see you at the concert and I hope I didn't embarrass myself too much! As promised, I am writing to you to simply say hello and wish that you all were well. It'd be great to see you all again, on slightly more coherent terms this time, but I know we are all super busy. If I don't see you before school starts we can just catch up then. Give my best to the Marauders, who I'm sure are close at hand. Best wishes. Lily."

"Wow," Blair said in disbelief. "That was surprisingly pleasant. She sure has changed from the days that she was running with Bree and Andy Ablo."

"Those two can bring out the worst in anyone," Alexa said. "I can't believe that she wants to hang out with us."

"Do you think we should?" Blair asked. "I mean, she's been a bitch to us in the past, but it seems that she is really a different person and we really did have a good time at the concert with her. Do you think she could roll with us?"

Alexa thought about this for a moment and then gasped. "Lyla, get some paper," she told me and I looked back at her confused. "It's time to make a pro/con list." I shook my head at Alexa but did as she asked. Whenever there was an important decision to be made, we usually ended up making a pro/con list. Alexa simply swore by them. When I returned with the paper and a pen, I drew a line down the middle of the paper and scribbled "Pro" and "Con", one on each side.

"Con," Blair started. "James used to be obsessed with her. If she's around all the time, he may have a relapse." Alexa and I didn't think that would happen but I wrote it down nonetheless.

"Pro," Alexa added, "She's actually pretty damn funny." We all nodded in agreement. "Con," she continued, "She used to be friends with Andy Ablo and Bree. Pro, she used to be friends with Andy Ablo and Bree." Blair and I looked at her curiously. "It would bring me great satisfaction to take a friend from those bitches." We all laughed as I wrote down a pro and a con.

"Pro," I said, "When she found out about Remus and I, she didn't rat us out. She kind of used us for a bribe, but I look past that." We all agreed that her covering for Remus and I earned her a pro.

"I'll give her a pro for bringing some new blood into the mix," Blair spoke. "I love you guys, but having someone new in the group may shake things up."

"Going off of that," Alexa added, "We could try to hook her up with Peter. I feel sorry for the poor boy sometimes." I looked at the list and the "Pros" currently outweighed the "Cons." After a few moments of deep thought, we really couldn't think of any good reasons not to hang out with Lily. The "Pros" won out and the decision had been made.

"So," Alexa said, "We'll send her a letter back and we'll meet up with her soon."

"Why don't we just do it tonight?" I questioned. "We aren't doing anything tonight, and making this a four person sleepover will be fun."

"Don't you think it's a little soon?" Blair asked, genuinely concerned. "She just wrote us today."

"No better time than the present, Blair," Alexa told her. She grabbed another piece of paper and hastily wrote a note to Lily. "It's official ladies," she said as she gave the owl our response, "We have invited Lily Evans into the crew. Hold on tight, everything's about to change."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	7. Rule 97: In Regards to Professional Photography

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I love you too,” I responded. “And Sirius,” I said looking over to Sirius, “If any of you show up tomorrow even the slightest bit inebriated, I will personally murder every single one of you.” I gave him a sweet smile and Sirius just laughed.

_Rule 97: In the even of a professional photo session, all complaining shall be directed towards Messer Prongs, who will deal with it as is appropriate at the time of said session._

_Lyla's Point of View_

* * *

Well, it turns out that Lily is a bucket of fun. After we had sent the letter to her inviting her over for a girl's night, she turned up at the house an hour later. We had never laughed so much with anybody other than the Marauders, but Lily held her own when it came to our unique, crude humor. She also wasn't as prudish as she puts off to be. We quickly discovered that Lily was kind of a freak, but in a good way.

It was a little weird at first with Blair and Lily, but Blair warmed up to her quickly and they ended up clicking well. Before Lily left the next morning, I decided I wanted to invite her to the wedding. I wanted all of my friends at the wedding and even though she was a new friend, I wanted her there. Blair had a mini freak out about it because she said it was going to throw the seating chart and the food way off. I assured her that everything was going to work out and I'm sure it wouldn't be a big deal to add one more person.

After the night of the sleepover, when there was no longer anything to distract me, Alexa took me into the backyard to have me just cast a bunch of random spells. She told me I had wanted to do it for months so I should go big and get some of the pent up aggression out of my system. I changed the color of the lavender in the flowerbeds, I watered all the plants with my wand, and I transfigured Little Sirius into a small dog and levitated him all over the place. Needless to say, he wasn't too happy with me afterward, but it felt so good to do magic again. In a way, it was like I had been repressing an integral part of myself and I was finally able to find that part of me again. Alexa was right; it was therapeutic.

I realized after I had nearly redone the entire backyard that even if I didn't agree with Remus and even if I was still a little mad at him, I couldn't just run away from our problems. Alexa tried to convince me to stay until Remus and the rest of the Marauders came back, but I knew that I had to go home; the home that Remus and I shared now. I hadn't fully forgiven Remus yet and I didn't know how we were going to work this out, I knew I had to try. I knew I loved Remus even when he infuriated me and that's all that mattered.

Alexa stayed a couple nights at the apartment with me but it was finally the day that Remus was supposed to be getting back, so there I was sitting alone in the apartment, waiting. While I waited I cleaned the entire apartment, completely by magic, and did the laundry. Once I had run out of things to do and the sky was growing dark as night approached, I took up residence on the couch in the living room and read the _Daily Prophet_ from that day. When I had read nearly every article of the paper, some even twice, I heard a key enter into the lock on the door.

The door slowly swung open and Remus walked in slowly, a bag over his shoulder and looking very ragged. I could tell that this had been a particularly difficult full moon and I couldn't help but feel guilty figuring it was partially my fault that made it so hard. Still not having seen me, Remus closed the door behind him and then went over to the nearby kitchen counter. He threw his keys onto the surface and then leaned over, resting his arms on the cool marble. He let out a deep breath as he hung his head, clearly exhausted from the night before.

I wanted to go over to him the moment he came through the door, but I couldn't move. When he finally turned around and saw me, he stopped mid step and just looked at me. He had scratches all over his face and arms and I knew that there were similar ones all over his body. His face was sad but when he saw me I could see a little bit of light creep back onto his face.

Pulling myself off of the couch, I went over to where he was still standing. We both just looked at each other for a moment and then I pulled him into a hug and held onto him tightly. He made a pained groan as I squeezed him so I released him slightly but I never let go. Remus put one arm around my back and one cradled the back of my head where it rested on his shoulder.

Neither of us spoke because there was simply nothing to be said. I didn't know how to explain it, but as soon as I was in Remus's hold, nothing that happened the past few days even mattered anymore. I forgave him and he forgave me. I pulled my head back to look at him; I rose up on my toes slightly and then brought his lips to mine, placing an easy kiss on his lips. My fingers traced over several of the cuts and scratches that he had on his body and discovered that they were worse than I had originally thought.

I pulled out of his hold and then took his hand in mine. I led him back into the bathroom off of our bedroom and leaned him up against the sink. He eased himself up onto the counter that surrounded the sink and I got one of the many washcloths that we had for this very purpose. I wetted it slightly and dabbed at a particularly large cut at the top of his forehead. Slowly, he raised his hand and placed it on the one that was currently tending to his wounds. He stilled my hand and brought it to his lips. I gave him a smile and continued. After I had cleaned his wounds the best I could, I cast the vulnera sanentur spell, which knotted up the cuts, and then I applied dittany to the big cuts to reduce scarring.

After drawing Remus a shower and leaving him a fresh set of clothes in the bathroom, I changed into my own pajamas and getting into our bed. Hearing the water turn off, Remus emerged from the bathroom already looking a bit better. He slid onto the bed next to me, simultaneously turning the lamp on his bedside table off. I scooted my body closer to him and he put his arms around me, holding me close. "I'm glad you're okay," I said into the darkness of the room.

"I'm glad you forgave me," he responded, placing a kiss on my forehead and then on my lips. Neither of us fell asleep right away. We just laid there in silence, holding one another and enjoying being together.

When I woke up the next morning, it suddenly hit me that it was the day before my wedding. I was panicking slightly inside but I tried my hardest not to let these nervous feelings show. Remus and I put our fight behind us and attributed it mainly to growing stress put on us by the wedding and the baby. He admitted that he perhaps went a little overboard with restrictions during my pregnancy and promised to ease up on the whole no magic before the baby is born thing.

While last minute preparations were being handled at the church and the Potter's, Remus and I had a meeting with the gentleman making the cake. He was going to show us the finished product and get us to sign off on everything. After I took a shower and got ready, I noticed that Remus had slipped out. He left me a note saying that he had to pick something up but that he would be back in plenty of time to make it to our appointment.

Remus returned as I was sitting down at the island in the kitchen to drink a glass of water and eat a peanut butter and banana sandwich. I honestly hated peanut butter, and as a child would pretend to be allergic to it to get out of eating it, but ever since I got pregnant, I have had this unnatural craving for peanut butter. Remus placed a kiss on my cheek and then moved to the other side of the island right across from me. "Where did you get off to this morning?" I questioned, taking a big bite of my sandwich.

"I just had to run out and pick something up," he said mysteriously.

"What did you have to pick up?" I pressed.

"Just a little something for you," he told me with a smile. My heart started beating quicker and a large smile spread across my face like a kid on Christmas.

"And what is this little something?" I asked, so very excited to see what he had gotten me.

"Even though we put this whole fight thing behind us, I just wanted to get you something to say I'm sorry and to show you I love you," he said to me. "Also, I think you could use it tomorrow." I looked at him curiously and then he pulled and long, thin black velvet box out of his back pocket, placing in on the counter before me. I timidly looked at the box and then back at Remus. "Well, go on then," he said, laughing at me.

I reached for the box and gently pried open the delicate, sleek box. Inside the box was a silver bracelet with alternating blue and clear oval-shaped stones. "I called your mom this morning and she said that you didn't have anything blue yet so I thought I would take care of that for you. Those are diamonds and aquamarine gem stones," he explained. I let my fingers trace the dainty bracelet and then looked to Remus yet again. "Do you like it?"

I laughed slightly. "Like it? I love it," I told him. "This is so beautiful. So completely unnecessary, but beautiful all the same," I gushed. "This had to have cost you a pretty penny, Remus; you didn't have to do this."

Remus took my hand in his and focused on my eyes. "You don't need to worry about how much it cost and I know I didn't have to do it; I just wanted to. This is my last gift to you before we become husband and wife and I wanted it to be something special. So, promise me that you won't obsess about how much money I spent and on all the things that money could have gone toward, and just enjoy the bracelet. Can you do that?"

I smiled and nodded my head. Looking at the bracelet one more time, I closed the box and said, "I can't wait to wear this tomorrow."

"I know it will look absolutely beautiful on you," Remus told me, placing a small kiss on my cheek. "You ready to head to the bakery?" he asked. I nodded, put my dishes in the sink, and then grabbed my bag.

When we got to the bakery, as soon as we stepped into the store, the scent of sugar just filled my nose. "Oh," I said, grabbing my stomach because the baby kicked really hard. It seemed like every time I came to this bakery the baby went on a kicking spree.

A few minutes later, Mr. Carroll came out from the back and greeted us. "Hello, Miss Parker," he smiled, offering his hand to me. "Now, is this your fiancé?"

I nodded my head and introduced Remus to Mr. Carroll. "Yes, Mr. Carroll, this is my fiancé, Remus Lupin," I explained. Remus and Mr. Carroll exchanged pleasantries and then he led us into the room that Sirius, James and I had tasted cake in and sitting on the table was our cake.

I was blown away when I saw the cake. I had left much of the design up to Mr. Carroll and his team and I couldn't have imagined a more perfect cake. This was exactly what I wanted. The cake was three tiers and was covered in a white frosting. A small cluster of blue hydrangea flowers adorned the top of the cake with a single green leaf. At the bottom of each tier, there were delicate frosting pearls piped around the outside and they looked almost exactly like real pearls. There were similar clusters of edible hydrangeas scattered around the cake and the middle tier had what looked like a satin ribbon wrapped around it, held together by the flowers.

"What do you think?" Mr. Carroll asked, looking at the cake with pride.

"It's absolutely beautiful," I told him. "You did an amazing job. Thank you so much." I pulled Mr. Carroll into a hug, which caught him off-guard. Mr. Carroll gave me a smile and said he was glad that I liked it.

Remus gave Mr. Carroll James's address for delivery and the time that we would need the cake. Mr. Carroll assured us that everything would run smoothly and that he would personally be delivering the cake. We said our goodbyes and Mr. Carroll congratulated us in advance.

When Remus and I got home, Alexa, Blair and all the Marauders were sitting around in the kitchen eating our food. In that moment I completely rethought giving Alexa a spare key in case of emergencies. Upon seeing us, Alexa and Blair jumped up from their seats and pulled me away from Remus's side. "Well, the time has finally come to split up the lovebirds," Alexa said. "You two will go your separate ways and then come this time tomorrow you two will be united as one, or something along those lines." I laughed slightly at Alexa's inspiring words. "Take a good look, Remus," she continued, "This will be the last time you see this little lady as a single woman."

The Marauders gathered around Remus. "Come Moony," Sirius said, patting Remus's shoulder, "Say your goodbyes so we can start getting drunk as hell." I gave Sirius a look and hoped that he was just joking to try and get a reaction out of me.

"You guys mind giving us some privacy?" Remus asked, signaling them to back up a little so we could have a moment. Remus put his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. "You ready to do this tomorrow?" he asked me with a smile.

"I couldn't be more sure," I assured him. He placed an unrushed kiss on my lips and then placed another kiss on my forehead.

"Well, Miss Parker, I shall see you tomorrow," he told me. "I love you."

"I love you too," I responded. "And Sirius," I said looking over to Sirius, "If any of you show up tomorrow even the slightest bit inebriated, I will personally murder every single one of you." I gave him a sweet smile and Sirius just laughed.

I left the apartment with Alexa and Blair and headed back to my parents' house. Before lying down to go to sleep, Blair insisted that she put a soothing facemask on me to avoid puffy eyes in the morning and demanded that we get to bed early because, as she put it, 'there's nothing more tacky than a tired bride.' When we finally got ready for bed, I couldn't fall asleep. The anticipation of tomorrow was gnawing at me and there were a million things running through my mind.

Alexa and Blair had fallen asleep almost immediately, leaving me to my thoughts. It's not that I questioned for a second that I wanted to marry Remus, but I was getting somewhat nervous about tomorrow and was filling up with anxiety. I suddenly heard a noise at the window. I figured it was just the wind or a bug or something so I just ignored it. Then, I heard the noise again. I quietly got out of the bed and tiptoed over to the slightly cracked window. When I looked out into the backyard, to my surprise, I found Remus looking up me, a handful of pebbles in his hand.

I slid the window open all the way and leaned out of the window slightly. "Remus, what are you doing here?" I questioned, confused as to what was going on.

"I just wanted to see you," he said. "Will you meet me down here?" he whispered to me. I told him that I would meet him down there in a few minutes and then proceeded to quietly maneuver past Alexa and Blair. If they knew what I was doing, they would be furious.

When I walked outside to the backyard, Remus had spread out a big blanket and was standing next to it with a smile. "What is all this?" I asked, going over to him.

"I couldn't sleep," he told me. We both lay back on the blanket and I let Remus put his arms around me and hold me close. "I couldn't stop thinking about tomorrow so I snuck out past the rest of the Marauders and headed over here."

"I'm glad you came," I said, looking up at the clear sky. "I couldn't sleep either." We sat there for a while just looking up at the stars and holding each other. Remus walked me back to the backdoor and gave me one last kiss before we were married. I headed back up to Alexa's room and climbed back into bed. Remus's visit had put me somewhat at ease and I was finally able to fall asleep.

From the moment I woke up the next morning, we were all running around in a panicked frenzy. I kept thinking that I had forgotten something and had to run and make sure everything was as it should be. Blair was freaking out about everything. She had made up a schedule for us that was literally planned down to the second. There was a makeup artist coming, a hair stylist, and mimosas on the terrace for her and Alexa and a number of other things.

After eating a good breakfast that Mother made for us, we had our makeup and hair done. I wanted all of our makeup to be really natural and nothing too drastic. Alexa and Blair had their hair curled and then pulled back into an elegant chignon with a few pieces hanging down. They looked absolutely beautiful and I couldn't wait to see them in their dresses. I had my hair curled and left it down.

Alexa and Blair changed into their dresses first so they could help me get into mine. When they came out in their dresses, I couldn't help but gasp. They truly looked like royalty, so elegant and regal. I then went into the bathroom and slipped on my dress. I stepped out of the bathroom, my veil in hand and smiled at Alexa and Blair who were just staring at me with wide eyes. "Want to zip me up?" I asked them.

Blair quickly came out of her stupor and hurried over to zip up the back of my dress. Alexa walked over to me and I could see the tears welling up in her eyes. "You look absolutely beautiful, Lyls," she told me, pulling me into a hug. She took the veil from my hands and fixed it into my hair.

"Alright," Blair said, clapping her hands together, "We've got something blue and new with Remus's bracelet." I looked down at the delicate bracelet on my wrist and then back to Blair. "And Alexa let you borrow the pins to pin your veil. So, that just leaves something old."

"I think we can help with that," my mother said, peeking her head in. She came all the way into the room, Gran following right behind her. They stopped in front of me and smiled. "You look gorgeous," my mother said. Mother pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes. Gran patted her daughter on the back and gave me a smile.

"Your mother and I have something for you," Gran continued, stepping closer to me, something in her hand. "These were originally my great-grandmother's and ever woman in my family has worn them on her wedding day. So, it's only fitting that you should wear them today, and when Alexa gets married, and Lord only knows when that day will be, she will wear them as well." Alexa rolled her eyes as Blair tried not to laugh. Gran opened her hand and in her palm was a pair of pearl earrings.

I took them from her hand and then pulled my mother and Gran into a hug. "They're perfect," I told them and then slipped the earrings onto my ears.

"Well, the car has just arrived," Mother said, "So, whenever you girls are ready, we'll be downstairs." Mother and Gran left the room and I turned back to the mirror to look at myself. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. To be honest, it was all a little bit overwhelming. I just couldn't fully believe that I was getting married.

Blair scurried about the room gathering all of our necessary items and then she ushered us down the stairs and into the waiting cars. My parents and Gran were already in one car and then there was a second one for Blair, Alexa and myself.

When we arrived at the church, Mom, Dad and Gran went on in. Alexa moved to open the door, but I just grabbed her arm. Alexa turned to me and looked at me, highly confused. "What's wrong?" she asked, shutting the door.

I just looked straight ahead and started to breath heavier. "I don't know if I can do this," I whispered.

"What do you mean you can't do this?" Blair exclaimed. "You sure as hell better do this."

"I'm freaking out," I told them. "I don't know if I can get married. I'm not sure if I'm ready to be a wife and a mother. I'm only seventeen."

"Lyla," Alexa said, grabbing my face and turning it toward her, forcing me to focus. "Calm down. You can do this, I promise. Do you love Remus?" I nodded my head. "Do you want to raise a family with him?" I nodded my head again. "Well, then you're ready. I know this is scary, but you just have to get your ass out of this car and into that church. We will be with you every step of the way and when you see Remus, all of your doubt will be gone. You're ready," she assured me again. "Now, let's do this." She opened the car door again and stepped out.

I followed her out of the car and picked up the bottom of my dress so it wouldn't drag on the ground. We made our way into a side room in the church where my mother, Father and Gran were waiting. Blair brought in the hydrangea bouquets and we made a few last minute touches, but before I knew it, we were lining up to walk down the aisle. Remus's parents walked down the aisle first followed by my mother. Next, James and Peter accompanied Blair into the main part of the church and then Alexa readied herself for her entrance.

I linked my arm through my fathers and held onto it tightly. My dad patted my hand. "You make a very beautiful bride," my father told me. "I am so incredibly proud of you." He placed a kiss on the top of my head and then it was our turn. The doors opened and everyone in the church rose from their seats. I suddenly stopped breathing and almost forgot to move my feet.

I looked up and found Remus at the end of the aisle. He had the biggest smile on his face, and Alexa was right; as soon as I saw him, I could breathe again and I wasn't nervous. When we got to the altar, Daddy handed me off to Remus and placed a kiss on my cheek. Remus took my hand and we walked up the steps to where the priest was waiting. I handed my bouquet to Alexa and then turned back to Remus.

It was such a strange thing, when I turned to Remus, it was like everyone else in the church disappeared and it was just us. When it came time for the vows, Remus went first. "Lyla," he started, "I never thought that I would find someone who could love me for what I am, but you did. You looked past my imperfections and saw me for the man that I really am. You saved me from myself and have made me the happiest I have ever been. I know that I don't deserve to have a wife as wonderful as you, but for some reason, you chose me and I thank God every single day that you never gave up on me even when I'm impossible to be with. I will love you forever and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

The tears flowed from my eyes, but all the while, I was smiling. Alexa handed me a handkerchief as I prepared to say my vows. I quickly wiped away the tears and then held the handkerchief tightly in my hands. "You have been there for me, through all of the good times and all of the bad. Even though we have had some rough patches, we've gotten through them together and I truly believe that with you by my side, we can overcome anything. I love you so much."

We turned to Father Michael, who continued. "Do you, Remus Lupin," he said, looking to Remus, "Take Lyla Parker to be you lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do," Remus said, looking at me.

"And do you, Lyla Parker, take Remus Lupin to be your lawfully wedded husband?" Father Michael asked me.

"I do."

"It is my pleasure, to pronounce you, husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Remus gave me a smile and then we embraced each other and shared our first kiss as a married couple. We turned back to everyone in the church and applause erupted. They all stood and looked at us with great cheer. I turned to Alexa and Blair and gave them a hug as Remus did the same with the other Marauders.

"Congratulations," Alexa told me as she handed my bouquet back to me. I gave her a squeeze and then took Remus's hand in mine as we prepared to exit the church. Mother and Daddy looked at me lovingly as we passed by, Mother, with tears of joy in her eyes.

After everyone had exited the church and started to head over to the Potter's, the wedding party filed back into the church to have our pictures taken. "So, how does it feel to be Mrs. Lupin?" Remus asked me as we waited for what seemed like the millionth picture to be taken.

"It feels absolutely wonderful," I told him. I cupped Remus's face and brought it to mine for a kiss.

"How many more of these are we going to take?" James wined.

"Stop trying to ruin a perfectly lovely day," Blair chastised him.

"I agree with Prongsie," Sirius said. "Moony, I know that this is a big day for you and Lyls, but do you need ten thousand pictures to remember it?"

"You literally don't have a brain, do you?" Alexa commented to Sirius. "If you ever have a wedding day, you can do whatever you want, but for now, shut the hell up and smile." I just laughed at my sister. Honestly, nothing anybody said could ruin this day. We all turned to the photographer, smiled and the flash went off.

* * *

_Alexa's Point of View_

* * *

"I am so ready to get this party started." Sirius said as he leaned back in the seat of the car that was taking us all back to James' house for the reception. I nodded and fixed a piece of my unruly curls that were starting to come out of their hold and then smiled happily as I looked over at Lyla and Remus who were continuing to stare at each other, not noticing the rest of us along for the ride.

"Oh, the wedding was so amazing." Blair continued to gush like she had all through the pictures we had been forced into taking. Don't get me wrong; I loved my sister and I am so happy that her wedding was amazing and beautiful, but after the first 100 flashes, I was going to be seeing stars for at least a week. James smiled at his girlfriend while looking somewhat wearily at her as she continued to wax poetic about the wedding.

I sent a look Sirius' way when I felt him lean over to whisper in my ear. "I'm so glad you're not itching to get married immediately." He said with a wink and I felt my heart beat jumpstart at the thought of myself in a white dress, walking the aisle towards Sirius.

"Well, it's a bit premature to think about that when you haven't even officially asked me to go steady again." I mentioned with a slight frown, pouting my lips and looking down at my bouquet in my lap.

Sirius threw an arm around me and then pulled me into him with a laugh. I couldn't help the flush that came over me when Blair and James looked our way and then rolled their eyes. Peter, on the other hand, looked like he was ready to bolt from the car as soon as the doors opened. Couple central; I felt bad for the kid.

"Peter, we need to get you hooked up with some family member, huh?" James asked the shorter boy who looked at James and grinned awkwardly. "I'm sure there will be someone there who will strike your fancy; unless, of course, you were planning on saving a dance for Lydia?"

I rolled my eyes at James' ribbing and then looked out the window as we neared James' house. "Lyla, we need to start fluffing your dress. If you're going to be keeping that bad boy on all night you need to look fabulous." I grinned at my sister who looked at me like I was crazy and then Blair dug around in her magically enhanced bag of goodies (aka her huge as hell duffle bag full of make-up and brushes and everything good).

"I have powder for oily skin, a curling iron to help keep our hair in check, and some sort of magical goo thing that is supposed to keep your makeup fresh; which one do you want?" She asked and James and Sirius exchanged a look with each other before scooting away from Blair a bit. Lyla bit her lip and thought about it for a moment when Remus cut in.

"I like my bride just the way she is, right now." He said and Lyla smiled happily at him before they exchanged yet another kiss and nose rub.

"Okay, okay! Cut the PDA children; we're about to arrive in public." I called towards them as the Marauder's wolf-whistled and Blair repacked her bag. "Blair, we'll have to do touch ups later. Merlin knows how Sirius' skin gets without his powder." Winking at the outraged boy, I helped gather Lyla's dress and train as we pulled up to the curb outside of James' house.

Mr. and Mrs. Potter, along with Remus' parents and my own parents, were standing outside by the curb ready to greet us as we got out. I marveled at how awesome the scenery was and gave James and Sirius a hearty pat on the back. "You two actually pulled this shit off without majorly screwing something over! Congrats!"

"Alexa Noel!" My mother chided me and I shrugged before taking Sirius' proffered elbow and hooking my arm around his. The loud din of the party seemed to quiet down as we followed the magically lit lanterns that lined the stone path towards a large fairy-tale looking tent in the back yard. All around were beautiful bunches of flowers, their petals lining the path and mixing with the small stream that ran towards the tent as well. The flowers matched almost perfectly with the dresses Blair and I were wearing and our bouquets seemed to be made out of the exact same kind.

"You all, this is so perfect." Lyla whispered as she and Remus stopped to look at the stream and the flowers. She grinned so widely I was surprised her face didn't split in two and then they continued on. From inside the tent, the noise had dimmed down and we stopped to listen to Mr. Potter announce that Lyla and Remus had arrived.

To the sound of many cheers and whistles, the newly married couple entered the tent, followed by the rest of us and we all laughed and cheered as Remus dipped Lyla into another kiss, her veil trailing the back of her dress as she blushed and then was brought back up. Mrs. Potter directed us all to the head table where we would be served our dinner and as we made our way to our seats, I noticed the inside of the tent.

There was a large dance floor, made from hardwood, in the center of the room, directly in front of the table where we would be dining. Then around the dance floor were small circular tables, with floating lanterns and more flowers spread everywhere. Lining the outside of the tent were the buffet tables where people would get their food, and periodically there were small bars placed for drinks.

Currently, in the center of the large flood, there was a small table upon which sat the magnificent cake that had a picture of Lyla and Remus on the top tier. Instead of the bride and groom statue, there was a picture of Lyla and Remus, and in the bottom of the picture, a small ultrasound of the baby. It was perfect and showcased their love for one another and their family nicely.

"I can't wait to eat." James moaned from the other side of Remus and I peered over my sister and my new brother-in-law to look at him as Blair did the same. "James!" We both reprimanded at the same time, joined in kind by the mother's, and he rolled his eyes before shaking out his napkin with a flourish. "A man has to eat, women."

"Literally, nothing you say ever makes sense but that's why we love you." Lyla said to James who smiled and nodded at my loopy-with-love sister. Leaning my head on her shoulder, I laughed along with her. "You're my best friend, Alex." Lyla whispered and I smiled while grabbing her hand and squeezing it.

"Right back at you, Mrs. Lupin." I winked and she beamed and then as if it was 'magic' (which I suppose it really was), food appeared on the table in front of us. Not really caring about what the muggles present thought of this display, they were all probably too tipsy to realize at this point, I felt my stomach rumble as I looked at the delicious food.

"I'm not going to lie; this looks fucking awesome." Sirius said before I could say the exact same thing and we all laughed before digging in. The food was beyond spectacular and I let out a happy sigh as I chewed a bite of the most succulent chicken I'd ever had.

"I don't care what we had to go through to do this, I am so happy our parents ended up combining forces to cook." I let out between bites and Blair raised her glass in an 'Amen' type gesture as we all continued to eat.

Soon enough, the food disappeared and more people began to mill about and finish their food. As our glasses were filled with champagne, Lyla deeming it okay to have just a little bit for the toasts, I started to get nervous about the upcoming speeches. I knew what I wanted to say to my sister, but I didn't want to really do so with everyone staring at me.

Finally, as everyone finished and the dirtied plates began to be taken back, Sirius looked at me and nudged me with his elbow. Taking a deep breath, I took the microphone from the DJ and stood up. "If I could have everyone's attention, please." I hesitantly said and everyone slowly began to filter to his or her seats so they could look at us all. "Well, uh, first I'd like to thank you all for being here to share this amazing day with our families. I can't tell you all how lucky I feel to have a sister like Lyla and now a brother."

I looked to Remus who smiled at me and then I looked down to Lyla. "Lyls, I am so lucky to have an older sister like you. No matter what you've always been there for me; and not just because you had to be." I felt myself start to choke up some as everyone let out a chuckle. "For so many people they don't have someone that clicks with them, but with you I always know that you'll have my back. And it's hard to let my sister go to be a wife and a mother, but I know you'll be fantastic at both.

"You're going to be such a great mother to your little girl and I know that no matter what you'll have Remus there by your side and that makes me happy. I hope that one day I can share the same love that you and Remus have. And just know that I love you, big sister." Taking a deep breath and wiping at the tears in my eyes, I turned to Remus and fixed him with my best look. "Reems, you better take good care of my sister and little niece. Otherwise, just remember that I know where you live."

He laughed and wrapped an arm around Lyla before kissing her on her forehead. "I love you both and again, I'm so lucky to have you in my life. And I wish you so much happiness and a fantastic future." Turning to the crowd, I raised my champagne glass and held it high, "To Lyla and Remus!"

As we all repeated it, I took a small sip and bent down to give my sister a strong hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I love you too, Alex." She said with a smile and I squeezed her tight again before passing the microphone off to Sirius.

"Lyla," Sirius started, turning to look at her forlornly, "I guess it's too late to tell you how deeply in love with you I am." Lyla laughed and rolled her eyes, while Remus pointed a finger at Sirius and we all laughed at their antics. "But seriously, no pun intended, I just want to say how lucky you two are to have each other. No matter what has happened in your lives, we all knew that it was going to be okay as long as Lyla and Remus stayed together. And now it's forever. You've given everyone and me else belief that true love does exist and that it can prevail.

"I want to thank you two for being there for me and being my best friends. We are all so lucky to have you all here to keep us grounded and I know that no matter what happens, you two have each other. Lyla, if Remus ever gets out of line, you send him to me and I'll make sure to straighten him out. And Remus, you treat Lyls right, because she's the best thing to happen to you. Besides me, of course." I laughed and looked at Sirius as he winked at everyone. "So, let's raise our glasses again to the best couple I've had the good fortune to witness. Lyla and Remus, everyone."

As we toasted again, I intertwined my hand with Sirius' and smiled at him happily. There were a few more toasts given, one from James and Blair, then another from some of the parents, then a nice little aside from my Uncle Scott. They were all hilarious and heartfelt, and more than a few times I felt myself tearing up slightly. Throughout all of the speeches, my fingers continued to stay laced with Sirius' and every so often, his thumb would slide over the soft skin of my knuckles, causing my face to blush deeply.

Finally, when the last toast was given, Lyla and Remus made their way to the dance floor to cut the cake. Sirius, James, Blair, Peter, and myself joined them as they acted all cute and Remus fed Lyla her piece before she shoved a nice little hunk of icing all over his nose and lips. He pretended to be outraged and I laughed and bit my lip as Lyla cackled with joy.

Soon after the cake exchange, and let me tell you I eyed that cake enviously, it was time for Remus and Lyla's first dance. I was excited to see what the song selection would be, considering Remus had kept it on lock since he had picked it out. The first strings of the song 'That's All' began to fill the air, and I felt my heart just a little bit as Lyla looked at Remus adoringly and he held his hand out to her.

As they swayed on the dance floor, I looked over to James and Blair, who were standing with their arms around each other, swaying slightly as they watched the couple. My parents were smiling happily from the other side of the dance floor, and Mr. and Mrs. Lupin were laughing with the Potter's over by the cake table. I sighed wistfully and felt someone snake their arms around my waist from behind. Turning to look slightly, I grinned at Sirius who rested his chin on my shoulder.

"Remus sure is a hopeless romantic, even after being married." He said as Lyla and Remus laughed about something and she put her forehead against his chest.

"They're so in love. It makes me jealous." I said while leaning more into Sirius' chest. My feet were beginning to ache from the heels I was wearing, which were concealed under my pretty dress.

"You know what makes me jealous?" Sirius whispered into my ear and I shook my head slightly. "That dress you have on. Because it's so close to your skin." He slowly trailed off and I blushed heavily as the song ended and we all clapped for Lyla and Remus. Sending Sirius a look, I met Blair over at the drink table as Lyla and my father, Remus and his mother, danced to the next song in the traditional dances.

"Ready to party?" I asked Blair and she nodded as she sipped on her pretty pink Cosmo. "Sirius is being inappropriate." I said in answer to her unspoken question as I held my cool whiskey and soda to my burning face.

"Yes, well, James is picking out china patterns." I laughed at her quick comeback and she winked at me before waving to Lily who was talking to Monica over by where my uncles and aunts were sitting. She made her way over to the table and I milled around, saying hello to people and making small talk with the guests. Finally, I ended up over next to my mother who wrapped her arm around my waist and pulled me in.

"Doesn't your sister look lovely?" She mused and I leaned into her embrace as she pushed an errant curl behind my ear. "It'll be your turn next." She told me in an ominous voice and I widened my eyes while bumping her playfully.

"Mum, let's not jinx me. I've got at least four good years of being insane before I can even think about it. And then I have to find the right famous person who wants to spend all their money on me." We laughed as the dance floor opened up to everyone as the dances were all over. With a bow, I took Lyla's outstretched hand as she made her way over to us. Joining her on the dance floor, we made complete fools of ourselves, being joined soon by Blair and Lily and Monica and a few of our other cousins.

A few songs later, I looked over to see James and Sirius dancing with Clair, and I couldn't help the look that came over my face. Blair, seeing what I was looking at, gestured them over and we all took turns dancing with the littlest girl, who was fascinated with the way her dress twirled around her ankles as she swung around in James' arms. Remus joined us soon; a big red lipstick outline on his cheek as he had ran into Gran.

We laughed and chatted, danced and drank, and soon the already setting sun was replaced by the moon and lots of stars. Taking a break from dancing, I walked over to the cake table, utterly disappointed by the fact that there was no more out on the table. Cursing my luck, I was about to get another drink when I turned around and ran into Sirius. "Might I have this dance?" He asked me and I blinked slowly before realizing that the usual fast paced songs we had been dancing to had switched into a more big band, couple dance song.

"Of course." I told him and he bent down to kiss my hand as we walked over to the dance floor. "Your speech was beautiful, by the way." I told him and he grinned, just a quick flash of his white teeth before he was twirling me out and pulling me back to him.

"I feel honored that the great speech master herself paid me a compliment." I giggled and then wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him down for a quick kiss before we spun around and he twirled me again. After the song ended, I danced with James, Remus, Uncle Scott, and my father a few more times before I made my way back to Sirius for a few more dances.

We spun slowly, my head resting on his chest and every so often as we twirled I would catch a glimpse of James and Blair together, chatting on about nothing, as they were likely to do. Then on my next go around, I'd see Lyla and Remus. They were never really dancing, mostly just swaying and looking into each other's eyes and occasionally he would lean down and kiss her forehead. The crowd was still thick and the patrons were getting more and more drunk as the night dragged on but everything was perfect. As it should be.

"Sirius, my feet are about to fall off." I whispered as the song switched from a subtle slowness to a much quicker and livelier pace. With a grin, he looped the arm that was around my waist around my knees and swept me up into his arms as I laughed. "Oh, my hero!" I put my hand against my forehead as if I were overcome with a fainting spell as his deep laughter rumbled through his chest.

"Milady." He pulled a chair out for me and deposited me there while I pulled my heels from my aching feet. Taking on of my blistered heels in his hand, Sirius slowly began to massage the aches and pains from my soles. I watched him intently, then closed my eyes and smiled to myself. "Alex, I wanted to ask you something and I don't want you to freak out or anything."

Opening my eyes again, I looked at where he was sitting across form me. "As long as you don't ask me to rub your feet I'm sure I won't freak out." I sent a quick glance to his dress shoes and then met his eyes. He laughed before pulling my chair closer to his. Tucking my legs under my body, I adjusted my dress and then focused my attention on him again.

"It's pretty obvious that I like you and that I haven't stopped liking you for quite a while now." He pushed a hand through his hair and then flicked his fallen bangs out of his eyes. I sat still, biting my tongue, not wanting anything to pass me up. For once, I exercised patience. "And you'll never know how sorry I am for everything that happened last year. But I want everything to be right this time around. I would really like it if you would be my girlfriend again."

The small smile that tilted his lips was hopeful and I couldn't help the wide grin that broke out on my lips as he finished. "Oh, Sirius," I said while reaching out to take his hands, putting my free hand up to his cheek. Stubble was starting to grow from the long day and it made his good looks even more roguish. "I've been yours longer than you've even known."

We met in a slow kiss, his lips resting on mine and applying just the lightest pressure. It was sweet and loving and so different than any of the kisses we had shared in the past. When we pulled apart, I blushed deeply, feeling as if I had just experienced my first kiss all over again. As we continued to sit contentedly, holding hands and looking out to the dance floor, Blair came running over to us, dragging James along with her.

"Come on, you two! Lyla and Remus are about to depart for the night! It's time to catch the bouquet." Blair grabbed my hand and pulled me from my seat and I grabbed for my shoes as we made our way to the dance floor where Lyla was standing and looking at all the girls and women from the reception.

She winked at Blair and I before turning around as we all counted down and with a strong toss; she launched the flowers over her head. I moved back, trying not to be caught in the struggle for the flowers, when the bouquet fell perfectly in the lap of one Lily Evans. We laughed and joked, as Lily blushed as red as her hair and smiled at everyone.

Walking over to Lyla, I gave her a hug and then stood back, my hands on my older sister's shoulders. "Don't forget to use protection." I said with a grin and she laughed loudly while placing her hand on her pregnant belly.

"A bit too late for that advice, Al." She pulled me in for another hug and then squeezed my hand.

"I'm so happy for you, Lyls. Really, you deserve everything and a happy life." I said, feeling myself tear up slightly. "I'll see you tomorrow afternoon, yeah?" She nodded and then I handed my sister off to my parents while Sirius came up behind me and placed a hand on my waist.

"Ready to go?" He asked while holding out my cream-colored wrap, bag, and shoes. I nodded and went to tell my parents goodbye before meeting Sirius back outside of the Potter's house. Taking one last look at the beautiful tent, stream, and garden that was used for the reception, I grabbed Sirius' hand so he could apparate us back into my back yard.

We made our way up to my room, which was a mess of clothes I had packed for Italy and the things we had used to get ready for the day. Stripping out of my dress, I quickly rid myself of my strapless bra and slipped one of Sirius' old sweaters over my head while pulling up my pajama shorts. Sirius came out of the bathroom in a pair of plaid pajama pants and a black shirt, rubbing a hand over his face.

After washing my hair and brushing my teeth, I climbed up onto my big bed where Sirius' sat with my cat, rubbing his soft ears. "Aw, little Sirius missed all the excitement today." I said in a baby voice and my cat padded its way into my lap. I stroked his soft fur before looking over to Sirius who was watching us. "You know, I never got any of that cake." I lamented with a sigh and Sirius' eyes lit up before he bounded from the bedroom.

I looked at Little Sirius with my eyebrows raised before I shrugged and continued to play with his tail. Within a moment, the door to my bedroom opened again and Sirius walked in, levitating two very large pieces of delicious looking wedding cake and two tall glasses of milk. I smiled widely and felt happy little butterflies fill my gut.

"You're literally the best ever." I told him as he climbed back on the bed and held out a piece of cake and a glass to me. Reaching over before I took a bite, I kissed him on the nose and then pulled back. "Best day ever?" I asked him through a mouthful of the delicious cake.

"Best day ever." He said with a wink and we sat in happy contentment, eating our cake and playing with Little Sirius.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	8. Rule 15: Foreigners

Rule 15: _You are a foreign man, therefore use your foreigness to attract women (and in the event that you enjoy their company, to keep them)._

_Lyla's Point of View_

* * *

"So, you don't think it's a little weird that we're going on our honeymoon with our friends?" I asked Remus as he unloaded our bags from the car when we arrived at the airport.

As he shut the trunk and pulled the bag up on his shoulder, he looked at me. "The only reason that we're going on this trip is because of our friends, so I'm looking past the weirdness," he told me, matter-of-factly. "We'll have a normal honeymoon with plenty of alone time and occasionally see them. We're going to have such a great time." He placed a gentle kiss on my lips and gave me a smile. "I love you."

The smile across my face grew to the size of the sun. I'll admit that we've been pretty lovey-dovey ever since the wedding; but what could you expect? "Is this what it's going to be like the whole time?" Alexa questioned, rolling her eyes at us. "If so, I think I'd like to opt out of this trip." Remus put his arm around me and stuck his tongue out at her.

"I'm not letting anything ruin this trip for me," Blair stated, coming up behind us. "So, you two can just carry on and I'm going to work on my tan." Blair insisted on dressing for the beach even before we got to Italy. She had on a long light blue dress that billowed out around her body in the wind, big sunglasses that nearly took up her entire face, and a large floppy hat. It was almost as if as soon as she stepped off the plane she was heading right to the beach. By this time, the rest of the crew had unloaded their stuff and joined us on the curbside.

"Yeah, thanks so much for inviting me, guys," Lily said very sweetly. "I feel so honored, but I feel like I'm intruding on your trip."

"Evans," Sirius started, putting his arm lazily around her shoulders, "The girls here have claimed that you can roll with us. While I remain skeptical of this, mainly due to the fact that you are more straight-laced than Moony here and you generally look down upon everything we Marauders do, we are willing to give you a chance to prove yourself. This will be the ultimate test. No one vacations like the Marauders. We party hard, no exceptions."

"Well, Black," Lily responded, slipping away from Sirius, "Your confidence in me is astounding. And mark my words, I will prove you wrong." Sirius smiled deviously at her and I knew that he was going to push her to her limit.

Once our entire luggage was unloaded, we headed into the airport. James had insisted that we travel by plane; which, do doubt, would be an experience. I myself had only flown one time before but it was when I was very little and don't really remember it. "So, what do we do now?" Alexa asked, looking to James, clearly ready to get this show on the road.

"Well, how am I supposed to know?" James responded looking a little put off. "You two are half muggle, shouldn't you know the ins and outs of this sort of thing?"

"James! Why would you insist that we fly if you had no clue what you were doing?" Alexa chastised. "And we may have a muggle mum but we never travel by plane. We usually use port keys or apparate, which is what we should have done for this."

"Where's your sense of adventure, Alex?" James nudged her grabbing up his bags to lead the pack. "We'll just figure it out as we go along. I'm sure it can't be that difficult." I gave Remus a worried look and he just shook his head at his friend.

Once we had finally found the desk to check-in to our flight and drop off our luggage, we then were directed over to the security guards so they could check our belongings. One by one we placed our carry-on bags onto the conveyor belt and then stepped through the large metal detector. We all made it through, but of course, somebody had to mess something up. James was the last person to pass through the detector and as he stepped through he was immediately called to the side by a surly looking security guard.

"Sir, I'm going to need you to open your bag and then step back," the man said to James. James did as he was told and unzipped his relatively small backpack. The guard quickly looked through James's bag. The guard's face changed as he found what he was looking for. "Can you explain to me why you are trying to carry a stick onto the aircraft?" Stick? Why the hell would James bring a stick? The security guard pulled out the 'stick' in question and I think we all collectively gasp and we realized that it was no stick at all; it was James's wand.

Why James thought it would be a good idea to bring his wand onto a plane that was primarily filled with muggles is beyond me. I didn't particularly like not having my wand with me but I knew that I couldn't bring it on the plane with me so I packed it in my suitcase like a normal person. James cleared his throat nervously and began to explain. "Well, you see, that isn't a normal stick," James hastily said. Alexa clapped her hands over her face and Blair began to bite her fingernails.

"What do you mean?" the guard pressed, clearly intrigued. "What are you planning on using it for on the plane, Sir?"

"I just brought it for protection," James continued. "If something happens and I needed to defend myself or my friends, I would have that." The guard stepped back and the people around us began to stare.

"Are you telling me that you're planning on using this as a weapon on the aircraft?" he questioned, growing increasingly tenser. "I'm going to need you to come with me, Sir," he added, grabbing James's upper arm. James looked back at us in panic and I quickly jumped forward and rushed over to James.

"Wait," I said, grabbing James's other arm to stop the security guard. The guard stopped and looked at me, waiting for me to say something. My mind was racing as I tried to figure something out. "I apologize for my friend here," I told him. "He's not particularly mentally stable," I continued. James gave me a look but I shot him a look telling him to go along with it. I moved in between James and the guard and leaned in to whisper to him. "He thinks he's a knight and that the stick is a sword. He won't go anywhere without it. It's pretty sad really; he hasn't been right for many years."

The guard looked slightly shocked. "What's wrong with him?" he questioned.

"He's just crazy," I said shrugging my shoulders. "We try to just go along with it so he doesn't get upset."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," the guard said, confused, "But I still can't let him take this with him."

This guy was going to make this difficult. "Oh man," I said urgently. He looked at me questioningly. "You see, I just got married," I told him, "That's my husband over there," I added, pointing over to Remus who smiled awkwardly. "We're actually going on our honeymoon with our friends and family. This is just going to throw everything off. James is going to be so upset and will no doubt make a scene; we'll have no choice to cancel the trip and our honeymoon."

The security guard let out a sigh. "That is very unfortunate ma'am, but I can't let him have this back." Seriously?! I'm slightly ashamed of what I did next, and James owes me big time for this. I suddenly started to 'cry' being as loud as I possibly could. I let my fake emotions pour out and the guard immediately got uncomfortable. "Ma'am, please don't cry," he said, trying to quiet me down as even more people began to gather around.

"I'm sorry," I said through my tears. "It's just this was going to be the happiest day of my life," I told him. "We were going to go on this trip and I looked forward to telling my children about all the wonderful things that I saw and did. But I'll never get that chance now! I'll have nothing to show for myself. I'm having a girl by the way. My daughter will never get to hear how I went to Italy with my closest friends!" I cradled my stomach and let out one last good sob for good measure.

"Okay, okay," the guard whispered. "Your friend can have his stick back; just please stop crying." I began to wipe my eyes and sniffle as he handed me back James's wand. Seeing that I was finally done making a scene, the guard looked at ease.

"Oh, thank you so much," I gushed. I pulled him into a hug and patted him on his back. "You are a beautiful man, and again, I'm so sorry for my friend."

"It's fine," he responded quickly. "Just make sure he doesn't do that again." I assured him we would never have this problem again and he let us go about our day.

I walked back over to where everyone else was standing and quickly ushered them all away before the guard could change his mind. As we hastily made our way through the airport I handed James his wand. "Lyla, you're a life saver," James expressed.

"You have no idea how much you owe me for that," I told him with a smile.

"That was just so horrifying but I couldn't look away," Alexa said, still laughing at my display. "I wish I had gotten that on camera."

"Why would you even think to bring your wand in the first place?" Blair questioned, pulling her bag higher up on her shoulder. "We were coming to a place full of muggles and we were going to be stuck on a plane with them for hours; you couldn't have used your wand without being exposed."

James just shrugged his shoulders as we drew nearer to our departure gate. "What if the plane malfunctioned and we started plummeting to our death? If I have my wand I could suspend the plane until we safely land. I don't trust these muggle contraptions, so you're welcome. I'm just thinking of you guys."

Alexa took out the latest issue of _Witch Weekly_ from her bag and hit James over the head. "If you don't trust these flying death traps, why did you want to take them one all the way to Italy?!"

"Maybe because it's super badass!" James exclaimed.

I laughed as Alexa let out a frustrated sigh at her good friend. James and Alexa always got on well, but he always knew how to push Alexa's buttons. "If this plane goes down and we die, I hope by some miracle that you live so I can haunt you for the rest of your life."

"Okay, okay, you two," Remus said, calming Alexa down. "We're about ready to board the plane, so if everyone could control themselves, that'd be great. James, don't pull your wand out at any point on this flight. Alexa, refrain from killing or seriously injuring anyone." Everyone nodded his or her heads in agreement as we formed a line to start boarding the plane. "If we make it there and back in one piece it will be a miracle," Remus whispered to me as I handed the person our boarding passes. I gave Remus a smile and then took his hand in mine.

One flight and a nap later, we had finally landed in Italy without any mishaps. We collected our luggage and then hailed a taxi to take us to the house that our parents had arranged for us to stay at. It was still like a dream that we were all actually there. After everything with the wedding, this trip was just too much for our parents and friends to give Remus and me.

As we pulled up to the house, I almost stopped breathing. The house was bigger than I was expecting and it was right on the beach. There was a large porch facing the water and the entire back part of the house was glass, which allowed the late afternoon sun to fill the inside with beautiful natural light. "Oh my goodness," Blair gasped. "This place is gorgeous!" she squealed. The small portion of Portofino that I saw on the drive in was so beautiful and I was eager to see more, but the beach was so stunning.

Remus helped me out of the taxi and while the boys unloaded our bags, I went to explore the house with Blair, Alexa, and Lily. We had been told that the key would be under the doormat and we were to just leave it there when we left. Alexa quickly retrieved the key and opened up the front door to the house. I didn't think it was even possible, but the inside was almost more gorgeous than the outside and its surroundings.

The house was very open and bright. The foyer was decorated in warm yellows and beautiful wall hangings. The foyer led into a large room with a couch, chairs, and a fireplace. Off of the living room there was a kitchen, a dining room, the porch, and then three bedrooms with their own bathrooms. There was a master bedroom with an enormous king sized bed with a canopy of flowing fabric blowing softly in the wind when the doors to the porch were open. The master bath was equipped with his and her sinks and a tub and shower that could fit nearly ten people in each. After the long day of travel, all I really wanted to do was to climb into that large fluffy bed, but Alexa pulled me along to look at the other two rooms.

The two other bedrooms were very similar to each other. They bother were rather large and each had three twin beds in them. The only difference between the two rooms was that in one room, two of the beds were bunked. This house apparently belonged to a family with six kids and they rented the house out to vacationers when they weren't there. You could tell that the two rooms belonged to children because there were cute hand crafted items all over the room. "So, I guess the three of us will stay in this room and then the three boys will stay in the other room, with Remus and Lyls in the master bedroom," Blair stated, placing her large purse on one of the beds.

As the boys entered into the house and came over to the room they would be staying in, Alexa said, "I hate to tell you this, Sirius, but we will not be rooming together." Sirius stepped up next to her, looking into the room and gasped.

"James!" he exclaimed excitedly. "Bunk beds!" James quickly ran over to see the beds and his face lit up. They both pushed us aside and rushed into the room. "All of our dreams are coming true," Sirius told James as they both inspected the bunk beds.

"I call top bunk!" James suddenly spouted out.

"Doubt it," Sirius said, throwing his belongings up on the top bunk. "I totally already called it."

"When?" James questioned.

"You and I both know that I called the top bunk when we talked about it in first year," Sirius explained. "When we talked about getting an apartment after seventh year, we agreed that I would get top bunk, and that applies to all bunk bed situations that we ever will encounter."

"Oh, good Lord," Blair muttered as she shook her head.

James turned rapidly to look at Blair. "Blair, tell Sirius that he is being completely unfair and that he doesn't get to call the top bunk for the rest of our lives. Everyone knows that you have to call it each individual time," James told us.

"You two are ridiculous," Alexa said as she turned around to go back to her own room to unpack her things. "Good luck with them, Peter," she yelled to them over her shoulder. We all followed Alexa's lead and headed to our respective rooms to sort out our things and to freshen up a bit before we continued on with our day.

Remus had placed our suitcases on our bed, so I headed over and unzipped the bag. Remus closed the door to our room behind him and then came over to where I was standing. He slipped his arms around me and pulled me closer to him. "Finally a few minutes alone with my wife," Remus whispered as he placed a gentle kiss on my neck. I giggled slightly as his lips tickled my skin. "Are you happy, sweetheart?" he asked me. I nodded my head as I let my headrest on his shoulder.

"I just want to enjoy this time with you and our friends," I told him. "When we get back, reality is going to set back in and we are going to have to start figuring out what we're going to do at school and how we're going to handle having this baby."

Remus turned me around to face him and he brushed the hair off of my face. "Now, I don't want you to be worrying about any of that," he instructed. "Everything is going to work out. We've gotten through all of this so far and we'll get through everything that is to come. This trip is about being together and having a good time, we'll deal with all that other stuff later." I gave him a smile and then placed a kiss on his lips. I couldn't help but think that I was one of the luckiest girls in the world.

There was a soft knock at the door and then Alexa poked her head in tentatively. "Hey, guys, sorry to interrupt, but the boys are getting somewhat restless and are pretty hungry," she told us. "Lily, Blair and I were going to go explore town and pick up some things for dinner. You want to join us, Lyls?"

I gave Remus a look and then patted him lightly on his chest as I walked past him to join Alexa. Before I could get too far, Remus snagged my hand and pulled me back to him, wrapping his arms around me once more. He pulled me into a kiss that was passionate but tender. I smiled against his lips as he lingered on my skin. "I love you," he whispered to me.

Before I could respond Alexa grabbed my arm and pulled me away from Remus. "If you guys weren't so damn cute and related to me, I'd have to kill you guys for being so perfect," she informed us. I snagged my bag off the chair and waved goodbye to Remus as Alexa directed me toward the front of the house where Blair and Lily were waiting for us.

The four of us headed down the road that led to town and took in the stunning countryside as we passed. After some basic chitchat, Blair got to the question we had all been asking ourselves. "So, Alexa," she started, "We couldn't help but notice that you and Sirius were pretty close at the wedding. Anything you want to share?"

Alexa's face began to redden and I could tell she had feared this very subject being brought up. "I have no clue what you guys are talking about," she stated hastily.

"Oh, come on, Alex!" Blair exclaimed, drawing some questioning looks from some nearby people. "Anyone with a brain and eyes can see that you two are all up in each other's business again."

At this, Lily chimed in. "Even though I'm relatively new to the group, even from the outside it's pretty obvious that you guys like each other. I know you guys broke up and stuff but I could tell that neither one of you really truly moved on."

"Plus, that night of my bachelorette party, I definitely saw the two of you looking pretty cozy on the couch when I snuck in," I added. "You guys are practically dating again so you might as well make it official. And if you think Blair and I didn't know about the two of you rendezvousing all summer, you're dumber than I thought."

Alexa just shrugged her shoulders. When none of us accepted that as a valid answer she let out a sigh and continued. "Sirius asked me to be his girlfriend again at the wedding and I said yes," she simply said.

A wide smile spread across my face and Blair let out a whoop. Alexa, however, didn't have the look on her face that I expected. She had a worried look on her face and I could tell something was wrong. "What is it Alexa? And why were you so hesitant to tell us?" I questioned.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm so happy to be back with Sirius," she told us, "But I keep going back to when we broke up and how much that hurt me; how much we both were hurt. I don't want that for us anymore. I don't want to fight with him. And I didn't want to say anything because as soon as other people know, it makes things so much harder. When we were sneaking around it was just the two of us and it was simple. I just want it to work this time."

I put my arm around my dear sister and pulled her closer. "Alex, you shouldn't even worry about the past, just be with Sirius in the present," I advised. "You two are perfect for each other and are meant to be together. It may not be easy all the time but no relationship is easy. And you just have to accept that the two of you are going to fight, because Merlin knows you both are too stubborn not too, and just learn to shake those fights off. I know Sirius loves you and you love him. That's all that matters."

Alexa gave me a smile and nodded her head. "The whole crew is put back together. All is right," she said in a satisfied tone. "Now, all we need to do is find Lily a man. Peter perhaps?"

Lily let out a nervous laugh and began to play with her fiery hair. "Peter's a sweet guy, but not really my type," Lily disclosed. "I'm sure Peter will make some girl very happy someday, but I am not that girl."

"So what is your type Lily?" Blair asked casually, but I knew what she was hinting at.

Lily looked around as we entered the market and answered. "Well, right now, my type is hot Italian men," she joked, waving over to a strapping young man at a bread booth.

"You're in luck!" Alexa shouted. "We happen to have plenty at our disposal. So, why don't you go over there and buy us some bread and introduce yourself to that fine piece of ass." Lily threw us a wink and headed over to the guy that had been checking her out. As Lily flirted away, we continued deeper into the market to search for dinner. "What are we feeling tonight, ladies?"

"Hey, you guys," Lily said as she rushed over. "Giacomo over there," she said pointing to the bread guy, "Says that if we're looking for some great food then we need to go to a restaurant called La Bella Luna. He said he knows the owner and can take us there and help us. Did I mention that he's smoking hot and has the most gorgeous accent that will make you melt."

"Well, since I don't know my head from my ass in Italian, I think we'll go with Lily's new boy toy," Alexa casually stated. "Besides, he does have rather nice eyes," she added, looking over to Giacomo. Does he have any brothers?"

"Alexa!" Blair laughed. "You're in a happy committed relationship now."

"That doesn't mean that I can't window shop or let a cute Italian boy order me some food in Italian," she said with a wink as she headed over to where Giacomo was waiting for us.

After Lily introduced us to Giacomo he began to lead us down the street toward the restaurant. I did have to admit that he was extremely good looking with his olive skin and dark luscious locks, and if I wasn't just recently married and with child I'd have to get my flirt on. And if his good looks weren't enough, he had the most wonderful personality and did have quite the adorable accent.

"So what's good here?" Lily asked as Giacomo watched her every move.

"Oh, everything, bella," he informed her. Lily just smiled goofily and nodded her head. "They have a lasagna that is filled with the finest sausage on the coast, an alfredo sauce that is so creamy and rich that it's nearly impossible to finish an entire plate, and all of the pasta is freshly made. You can't possibly go wrong. And the desserts are to die for. My personal favorite is the tiramisu; the espresso is incredible. The cannoli are so light and the gelato is the best."

Everything that Giacomo described sounded simply delicious and I felt my stomach growl below my hand that was resting on it. "I think we should just get it all," I told them. Alexa smiled at me and just laughed. "I can't help it that I'm hungry all the time! And right now, I'm literally craving everything on the menu."

"Well," Lily said shrugging our shoulders, "I guess we'll take one of everything. And we need it to go, if possible, we have some friends waiting for us at home."

With a large smile on his face, Giacomo said, "There's nothing more beautiful than a woman with a hearty appetite. I'll see what I can do for you." He headed over to an older looking gentleman and began to speak to him in Italian. The older man seemed elated by the order. He grabbed Giacomo's face and placed a large kiss on both cheeks and exclaimed, "Il mio nipote!" He took off toward the kitchen and Giacomo returned to where we were standing.

"He said there was no problem and that he'd get it out as fast as he could," Giacomo informed us. "He also is giving it to you at half price and giving you some fresh bread free of charge."

We all looked at each other in surprise. "Half price? Why would he do that?" Lily inquired.

"I told him you all were my friends and that you just got to Italy and he wanted you to have a true taste of Italy. Besides, I can get my nonno to do about anything," he mentioned.

"That was his grandfather," Lily whispered to us. Clearly Lily had learned a little Italian before we came. "Thank you so much, Giacomo, we really appreciate it. I hope you'll join us for dinner, it's the least we can do to repay you for your kindness." Giacomo nodded in agreement to our invitation and then directed us over to a small table where we could wait for our meal.

As we waited for Giacomo's grandfather to return we got to know Giacomo a little better and Lily seemed to get even more smitten with every passing minute. Giacomo was the oldest of four and was the only boy. He had explained that he and his sisters, Lia, Giovanna, and Carina, lived with his grandparents because his parents died six years ago in a car accident. His littlest sister wasn't even a year old when they passed. His grandfather had wanted him to take over the family restaurant like his father would have if he were still with them but his grandmother insisted that Giacomo stay in school.

She enrolled him in a boarding school in Rome and that's where he has spent most of his time for the past six years. Every summer he returns to his home here and works for his grandfather who apparently still hopes that he will want to enter the family business. Giacomo told us that when he left to go to the school in Rome it was hard for him to leave his sisters so soon after his parents passing away but he knew he needed to go to school so that he could make something of himself in order to give his sisters everything they would ever need and to repay his grandparents for all of their help.

Giacomo seemed like such a sweet guy and I was amazed at how upbeat he was given the horrors he has had to endure. Before we knew it, Giacomo's grandfather, Giuseppe, returned with his wife, Aryana, and several bags filled with what I assumed to be delicious food that I couldn't wait to eat. Giacomo got up and met his grandparents and took the bags from his grandfather and we followed after him. "I nonni, questo è Alexa, Blair, Lily e Lyla," Giacomo introduced. The older couple nodded to us and greeted us in Italian.

"Molte grazie," Lily offered to Giuseppe and Aryana. Alexa laughed slightly at Lily's brown-nosing ways.

Giuseppe said something to his grandson that I didn't understand and Giacomo just smiled and looked to Lily. "He says your Italian is very good and that you all are always welcome here and as far as he is concerned, you are family." Lily blushed slightly and we all gave our thanks to his grandparents. "Let me just tell my grandparents that I'll be back later and then we'll get you all home."

Once Giacomo was safely out of hearing distance, Lily turned to us excitedly. "Is he not the greatest?!" she whisper exclaimed. "I think I've found something to keep me busy during our time here."

"Easy there, Lils," Alexa suggested. "Just because you found him doesn't mean you get to keep him. I think it's only fair if you share with the group."

"In your dreams!" Lily replied. "You all have a guy and now I've got one of my own. Besides, he seems to like me best so I doubt any of you would have a chance with him anyways." Lily smiled slyly and gave us a wink to let us know she was joking.

"Well, how do you expect us to compete with little-miss-I-learned-Italian-and-can-speak-the-language-of-love?" Alexa questioned. "But look, I don't think it's us that you have to worry about. Good luck getting the boys to accept him. They go nuts whenever there's a new guy around; they're highly territorial."

Lily just shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, those boys don't scare me," she informed us. "Peter won't initiate anything on his own, he'll only back the others up. Remus is normally too polite to make a guest feel uncomfortable. And as far as James and Sirius go, I can handle them."

"Somebody's a bad ass," Alexa sarcastically muttered under her breath. We all laughed and continued to give Lily a hard time. That's what I liked about Lily, we could joke with her and she didn't take anything personally; in fact she usually would dish it right back.

"Ready to go, bellas?" Giacomo asked when he rejoined the group. Lilly nodded and took one the bags of food from Giacomo and began to lead him out of the restaurant.

We began to follow after them and Alexa just started to laugh. "Sirius is going to go nuts when he sees this guy," she explained her laughter.

"And I'm sure you're not going to put his mind at ease, are you?" I jested.

She gave me a sweet smile. "Now, what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't shamelessly make Sirius jealous? Of course I'm going to play this whole situation up." I just shook my head as Blair began to laugh and agreed with Alexa.

When we got back to the house, I threw the door open and Alexa entered first. "Hey, losers, we're back with food!" she shouted. I hit Alexa slightly on the shoulder and she just have me a 'what' look. As we made our way into the kitchen, we saw the boys standing around the counter moving something around.

"Welcome back," Sirius said, sounding mischievous. "While you ladies were out we did a bit of shopping of our own." Sirius stepped aside to reveal several bottles of alcohol lined up on the counter. Sirius looked down at the display with pride.

Alexa went over to Sirius and put her arms around his waist. "I have never been more proud of you," she told him adoringly. He placed a kiss on her lips and smiled. "We are going to have a real good time tonight."

Lily and Giacomo entered into the kitchen carrying the food and could almost feel the silence fill the room. "So…" Sirius started looking at Giacomo. "Who's this guy?" Ah, Sirius, blunt as always.

Like a brave soul, Giacomo stepped toward Sirius and stretched out his hand. "Ciao, I'm Giacomo, pleasure to meet you," he introduced himself to Sirius. Sirius hesitantly took the hand extended to him and shook it.

"The pleasure is all mine," Sirius commented. Alexa gave Sirius a look as he let go of Giacomo's hand and Sirius just watched the boy before him with a calculated stare. The Marauders all exchanged a look concerning our guest and before they got defensive Lily stepped in. "Let's eat!" she exclaimed.

"You take that shot or get out of my house!" Sirius exclaimed, pointing to a shot glass in front of James that was filled to the brim with whiskey. Soon after dinner, the alcohol started to flow and needless to say, everyone was having a good time. Remus laughed at his friends as he sipped his drink and rubbed my shoulder that his arm was around.

Somehow, James and Giacomo had gotten into a competition of who could take the most shots and Sirius was very much the cheering section for James. We quickly learned that Giacomo held his alcohol very well, and honestly, James didn't have a chance in hell of beating him at any drinking game.

James picked up the small glass and brought it to his lips. He stuck his tongue into the brown liquid and his face soured. "Padfoot, mate," he started, leaning over to Sirius, "I don't think I can do it. He's too good." Sirius shook his head and brought James closer to him to whisper something to him.

"Look at him," Sirius attempted to whisper, "He's got nothing on you. You are a Marauder. We never back down from a challenge and we never walk away as losers. Now, look at Blair over there," Sirius pointed over to where Blair was mixing a drink with Alexa at the counter, "Do you think that she'll want to date you if you aren't a winner? Blair's a winner, James, and winners date winners." James's brow furrowed and he looked down at the glass in his hands again.

In one swift movement, James downed the fluid and slammed the glass onto the table. Sirius erupted into cheers and even Peter was on his feet to celebrate his friend. Lily, who was seated next to Giacomo, patted him on the back and said; "He's going to drink himself into a coma if he keeps this up." Giacomo let out a laugh and then drew himself out of the competition, allowing James to win.

Even though I wasn't able to participate in the drinking, my friends were entertaining drunks and I couldn't help but have a good time. It was really nice to see everyone so carefree and just blowing off some steam. Remus was laughing like a fool and it was a laugh that even I rarely got to see. I could tell that he was really just letting loose tonight.

James and Sirius became even more immature when they drank but they also would get super competitive about anything. In addition, Sirius got a lot flirtier when he drank and was even a bigger fan of showing affection. Peter didn't drink often, but when he did, we got to see the Peter that he kept hidden deep behind his shy quirks.

Then, there were the girls. I mean, even though Lily hasn't been hanging out with us for too long, I had seen Lily at the concert and pretty much had a good feel for 'drunk Lily.' Lily became one of the guys when she drank, and could probably drink any of the guys under the table. Blair was simply a blast when she was drunk. She was the life of the party and could be persuaded to do pretty much anything while under the influence, including doing handstands, which ended with her crashing to the floor; but to her, every time she did it, she 'nailed it.' However, Blair also had an even bigger jealous streak when she drank. Blair's emotions could shift from one end of the spectrum to the other in a matter of minutes if just the right words were uttered or if she saw something she didn't like.

And then there was my dear sister. Alexa was that drunk that didn't quite know her limit and even when she was clearly lashed would swear up and down that she was totally sober. Oh, and when music played, there was no stopping her from tripping the light fantastic (dancing). So as I looked up and watched my sister sashaying toward me, moving in all sorts of directions, I couldn't help but let out a laugh and roll my eyes. She sat down next to me and put her head on my shoulder. "Hey, Lyls," she said.

"Hey, Alex, you having a good time?" I asked her.

She sat up quickly and looked at me with a frown. "I'm not even drunk. I'm totally fine," she insisted. "Totally fine," she repeated. "Don't even worry about it." I nodded my head in agreement and threw up my hands in surrender. As usual, she patted my extended belly and then left her seat to take up residence in Sirius's lap. I watched them for a few minutes as they whispered back and forth to each other and I was so incredibly happy for them.

Remus squeezed me closer to him and when I looked up I found him staring back down at me. I leaned into his body and wrapped my arm across his abdomen and around his waist. "Happy honeymoon," he told me. I lifted my head slightly and reached up to place a kiss on his lips. The slight taste of whiskey reached my mouth as Remus deepened the kiss.

Remus and I broke apart as Alexa exclaimed, "I have the greatest idea!" We all turned our attention to her as she excitedly spoke from Sirius's lap. "Let's go down to the beach!" Okay, I was all for having a good time but, to me, mixing a bunch of inebriated people with deep water just didn't seem like the safest option.

"Are you sure that's safe?" I questioned. I was taken back a bit as everyone looked to me now like I was crazy.

"Live a little!" James exclaimed.

"It's probably safer for me to fall down on the sand than on this hard floor," Sirius logically said.

"Plus, I'm pretty much sober, so I can make sure everyone stays safe," Alexa assured me, trying to put my mind at ease. Within a matter of minutes, everyone was out of his or her seats and they were ready to take off toward the beach. Knowing that I wasn't going to be able to stop this, I just went along with it and threw caution to the wind.

Alexa, leading the way, threw open the back sliding door that led to the balcony which had stairs leading down to the sandy beach. Remus 'helped' me down the stairs but I was really the one helping him down the semi-steep steps. Blair had surpassed Alexa in the race toward the water and was running extremely fast. Blair was gliding over the soft sand but as she neared the water, there was a slight drop in the terrain that she didn't notice and she went face first into the ground. We all collectively gasped but within seconds, Blair was back on her feet and continued her pursuit. Once she reached the clear water, she once again fell, this time on purpose, allowing the water to consume her body.

Soon enough, the others reached the edge of the water as well and began to splash around. I stopped a little way away from the shore, Peter and Remus with me. Remus looked at me and then looked at the water longingly. "You can go in, but know that if you die out there because you're being stupid, I will bring you back to life just to kill you again," I told him jokingly. "Please just be careful." He gave me a quick kiss and then joined our friends out in the water.

As I moved to take a seat on the beach, Peter helped me get onto the ground and then took a seat next to me. "You don't want to get in, Pete?" I asked as I crossed my legs.

"I'm not too fond of open water, or swimming for that matter," he explained. "Besides, someone's going to have to jump in to save their sorry asses if they start to drown, and I don't think you're quite fit for that right now." I smiled at Peter and let out a slight laugh. Peter could be quite the kidder when he wanted to be and the thought of him having to dive into the water to save any of them was quite funny.

Alexa came running toward us and stopped overtop of me and began to shake out her hair, slinging water all over me. I protested slightly, but not really caring because the cool water felt amazing on my skin. James who was complaining about something then called Peter closer to the water and Peter, not seeing the obvious trap set before him, did as requested. Once Peter was close enough, James grabbed his arm and pulled him into the water. Alexa began to ring her hair out as she gave me a smile. "How are you doing, Lyls?" she questioned.

"I'm great," I responded. "How are you?"

As she looked out at the water and with a smile on her face she responded. "I'm so incredibly happy," she told me. A wide smile just crept across my face as I felt immense joy for my sister. "Now, I'd never admit this to anyone else, but I really think Sirius might be the one." She turned to look at me and there was a mix of excitement and nervousness in her eyes. "With you and Remus getting married and starting a family, it's really got me thinking about my future and mine and Sirius's future together.

"I remember you told me one time how you knew Remus was the one you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. You told me that you seriously pictured your life without Remus and nothing seemed to fit. Nothing felt right if he wasn't in the future scenes of your life. Well," she continued, shrugging her shoulders, "I pictured my life years from now and I couldn't even come up with a scenario where Sirius wasn't there. And I don't know if we'll be together romantically until the end, but that doesn't matter. Regardless of what are relationship becomes, I want him in my life."

She paused here for a moment and looked down at her feet that she had dug into the sand. I could tell that something was bothering her beneath the surface level of happiness. "But, Lyla," she said, "It absolutely terrifies me that I want him so badly. I've been starting to realize that, in some ways, I need him in my life, and that scares me; especially given our track record."

"Alexa," I told her, "I know exactly how you feel." I gave her a comforting smile. "Even though I knew Remus was the one, the whole time we were planning the wedding I was freaking out inside. Falling in love with someone is one of the greatest experiences a person can have but when you love something so much it can be a bit overwhelming and scary. To think that you'd be willing to do things that you maybe wouldn't normally do for another person is, at times, an unsettling experience. But the love that you share with the other person makes all the scary parts totally worth it and you experience them together and that makes you even closer." She let out a breath and nodded her head to what I was saying. She seemed a little bit more at ease but far from content.

"And let me tell you," I added, "Even though I had come to the realization that Remus was the one, I also remembered that a relationship comprises of two people. Remus was the one for me, but what if I wasn't the one for Remus?" Alexa took in what I said and looked a little panicked. "Now, before you freak out, I just want to say that you shouldn't worry about what will happen to you and Sirius in the future. Don't think about the 'what ifs' just concentrate on what is. If you make the most of your relationship in the present I have no doubt you two will go the distance. And for what it's worth, I love Sirius, he's one of my best friends, and if you were going to spend your life with anyone on this planet, I could think of no better person for my sister."

She gave me a smile and a slight nudge. "That means a lot to me, Lyls," she said. "You have no idea how reassuring that is."

"And just so you know, even though I'm married now and about to be a mother, I will always have time for you," I told her. "As cheesy as it sounds, even though we're growing up, we'll never grow apart. I'm so lucky to have you by my side as I open this whole new chapter of my life; without you, I think I'd go insane."

Alexa pulled me into a hug and we held each other for some time. When we released each other, Blair had joined us on the beach. She pulled her soaked hair over her shoulder and attempted to rid it of excess water. She must have picked up on the sentimental moment Alexa and I had just shared because she herself began to purge herself of all her emotional worries. "This is our last year at Hogwarts, ladies," she stated. "After this year, it's off into the real world where we are expected to make something of ourselves."

We sat there for a few moments, letting what she said sink in. With all the stuff going on with the wedding and the baby, I hardly had had time to realize that we were approaching our final year of schooling. "I'm scared shitless," Blair admitted. "And I'm sad. I mean, after this year, we won't necessarily get to spend every day and every moment with one another. I've gotten so used to having you lot around that I don't know what I'm going to do without you guys. We could all end up in completely different parts of the world and never see each other again." At this, Blair began to cry. The alcohol must have been heightening her emotions because Blair just cried freely and unashamed. After a few moments of tears, her mascara began to run and there were noticeable lines streaking her face.

"Don't say that, Blair," Alexa comforted, looking like she was on the verge of tears herself. "We'll always stay in touch, no matter where we end up. Nothing will keep us apart."

"That's easy for you to say," she countered. "You two are sisters, you guys will always have to see each other. However, it will be all to easy to let me fall to the wayside."

A wave of sadness consumed me as I listed to and watched my dear friend. My hormones were running rampant and my emotions were uncontrollable. I began to cry as well, not able to contain the tears any longer. "Blair, we couldn't let you fall to the wayside even if we wanted to," I informed her. "You are our sister, Blair. You've have been a part of this family since first year. We are a family and there's no changing that."

Alexa let out a sob and grabbed the two of us and held us close. It was a little melodramatic but none of us really cared. We clung to one another like it was our last night together and let our tears and laughter roll freely as we relived some of our finer moments and discussed the future. We promised each other right there on that beach in Italy that we would never forget one another, no matter where life took us and that we would always be there to support one another.

"What the hell is going on?" we heard James ask. We turned toward the water and saw all of our friends had abandoned the cool waves to join us on land.

"We were just talking about our seventh year and how we're going to miss everyone after we graduate when everything changes and how much we love everyone," Blair replied.

"And you guys are seriously crying about that?" Sirius asked. "I don't understand women."

Alexa wiped the residual tears from her face and pulled her hair up off her face. "I'll give you something to cry about, Black," she threatened. Alexa sprung up from her seat and took off after Sirius. Sirius quickly ran toward the house, evading Alexa for only a moment. She launched herself onto his back and he caught her with ease. The others followed after them and drifted into the night. Remus helped me from my spot on the beach and we walked silently back to the house.

Once back at the house, Giacomo bid us all goodnight and stepped out onto the front porch with Lily for a few moments. The rest of us were pretty knackered and retired to our rooms to get some sleep, the jetlag definitely setting in by now. I climbed into bed first and immediately threw all the covers off me and onto Remus's side of the bed. I had put a cooling charm on our room and the room still felt a little warm. I was wearing a thin loose nightgown and I still felt uncomfortably hot. Remus, on the other hand was wearing a sweatshirt, sweatpants and thick wool socks when he came to bed. I laughed slightly at his winter attire and was so thankful that he was being patient with my all my crazy temperature changes.

As he pulled the covers on his side of the bed back I said, "Goodnight, Remus." He helped me arrange the pillows so I could get comfortable and then he bent down and placed a gentle kiss on my protruding belly.

"Goodnight, my sweet little daughter," he whispered to the baby. "And goodnight to my darling wife," he said, now to me, placing a deep kiss on my lips. "I love you so much." I returned his sentiments and then we both drifted off to sleep.

The week passed and before we knew it, we were back in good old England. It had been one of the best weeks of my life. Every day we just spent our time enjoying the beach and each other's company. Lily had grown rather close to Giacomo over the week and I wasn't sure if he was going to let her leave. I was surprised he didn't ask her to stay and marry him or something. Lily said it was just a summer, whirlwind romance, but I knew that wasn't entirely true. They agreed to write to one another and that maybe one day, he could come visit her, and us, in England.

Upon our return, Remus and I threw ourselves into married life. Not every day was easy and we fought about stupid stuff occasionally, but we were still in the honeymoon phase of our relationship. Alexa and Sirius spent quite a bit of time at our apartment and we would often assemble the entire group to hang out.

I also had another doctor's appointment when we got back. I was moving right along in my pregnancy and the baby was growing. They said that she was a little smaller than most babies at that stage but that it was nothing to worry about. I didn't really dwell on it because Alexa and I were both small when we were born but Remus was convinced something was wrong. He became his overprotective self again for a while and I had to remind him to back off otherwise I was going to go nuts.

As school approached we received our lists and such, but for some, an added little bonus came that shocked some. Remus had been chosen as prefect again but I hadn't been chosen for the upcoming year. I obviously knew why I hadn't been chosen and I probably would have declined even if I had been, but it still hurt a little. I was a little jealous of Remus but I knew I was going to be extremely busy and wouldn't have time to carry out any prefect duties. Although, I wondered if Remus would even have time for his prefect duties given that he will soon have father duties, but I didn't want to ruin the moment for him; we'd cross that bridge when we came to it.

Lily was chosen as Head Girl, a position that she had been vying for, ever since first year, and honestly, no one deserved it more than she did. The surprise came in the appointment of Head Boy. Alexa was convinced that Dumbledore was drunk when he appointed James as Head Boy. Even though James's behavior was questionable at times, I truly believed that he would rise to the occasion and make us all proud; I know his parents were thrilled.

Our last year was hurdling toward us and there were days that I felt like I could barely breathe. We had NEWTs this year and I had the added pressure of my daughter being born. I was beginning to doubt my ability to do this but I tried not to let on to anybody. I just had to pray, hope and wish that everything would be okay; and I don't know if that'll even do it. All I can say is: Merlin help me!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	9. Rule 72: Never Leave a Man Behind

_Rule 72: Never Leave a Man Behind_

_Alexa's Point of View_

* * *

"I don't want to go!" I moaned out as Sirius proceeded to tickle my feet while we lay on my bed the morning of September 1st, our last first day ever at Hogwarts. "If you don't make me go," I promised while he let up on tickling me and placed his hands in his lap, "I'll let you keep me locked in your room and you can have your way with me."

"You let me do that anyway," Sirius uttered out while pulling me closer to him on the bed. As my head dragged across the mattress, creating static electricity that would have my hair spinning around my head like a muggle's Halloween witch, I tried to think of something else. "You have to go to school, Alexa. Otherwise you'll force me to hang out with a prefect and the head boy all year. Do you know what torture that would be?"

"Well, I have to hang out with a pregnant woman and Blair. I think I would do better here or at your apartment." I told him while sitting up and smoothing my hair down.

Sirius tucked a strand of my straightened hair behind my ear. "It's best that we stay together as much as possible this year." He stated with a grin and I nodded my head as seriously as I could.

"You're right. Best not to separate in the midst of all the madness." As we leaned closer to make ourselves a little later, the door to my room burst open, a maniacal James standing in the doorframe.

"What are you all doing? We're going to be late for the train and if I lose my head badge on the first day my mum is going to slap me upside the head with her ring hand." Bounding off the bed, I made my way over to James, leaving Sirius to flick his wand and make the bed back up.

Ruffling my hand through James' uncontrollable hair, I patted him on the shoulder before scooping up Little Sirius, who was to be the newest residence in the dorms with us this year. "I'm ready, James. I don't know what you're talking about." With that I tramped down the stairs, making a large amount of noise to alert my parents to my presence. Lately, for some unknown reason (cough midlife crisis cough) they had been extremely affectionate, and if I had to run into them making googly eyes or kissing again I was going to loose it.

"Toss me that chocolate chip muffin, Blair." I said while walking over to the kitchen table to pour myself a glass of juice. With direct precision, Blair tossed me the muffin and then went back to staring into her coffee. "Something wrong?" I asked while I sat down and began to unwrap my breakfast.

"It's just getting a little tiring listening to James talk about being head boy and having all these responsibilities lately." She told me in a whisper, looking around and trying to make sure that no one was eavesdropping. We were meeting Remus and Lyla at the train, James and Sirius were in charge of placing the bags in the car so my parents could go with us to the train, and I had no clue where said parents were.

"He's just taking it really seriously because he hasn't been entrusted to do this sort of thing for Dumbledore. Maybe he hopes it'll make a good impression on the Order if he does well in this position?" I chewed my muffin slowly, trying to think of more things to say to help her with her patience.

Blair shrugged and drinks her coffee quickly before getting up and placing her mug in the sink. "Maybe. I don't know." With a sigh, she placed her hands through her hair quickly and sits back down.

"Hey, don't be too worried about it. He'll still have time to hang and stuff. He has help too." I bit down on my tongue just a second to late but I've already said the deadly words.

"Yeah, Lily Evans, just the girl that he used to have the biggest crush on in the face of the whole universe." Blair frowned and then rubbed a hand over her eyes. "Okay, I know that's stupid of me, but come on. What would you do if Sirius had a huge crush on a girl and then all of sudden is about to be spending tons of time with her." Chewing on the inside of my lip, I tried to think of something to help her with, but I know that if something like that happened I would be the first one to freak out.

"Just trust him, Blair. That's all I can tell you. Take it from me; when he thinks you don't trust him it goes downhill really quickly." I sighed and finished my muffin, getting up just as James and Sirius came traipsing through the kitchen. "Want something to eat before we leave boys?"

Sirius took a seat at the table and grinned evilly. "You." He said with a laugh and I kept my face blank while looking at him.

"You are a complete freak." I said while rolling my eyes before placing a wild berry muffin on his plate, being the fantastic girlfriend that I am and still giving him his favorite. "James, why don't you sit down before you give yourself a hernia?" I suggested while James continued to pace.

"I can't. I have this weird feeling about today." He rubbed a spot on his chest and shook his hands out. "There's a feeling I can't shake." Blair looked at him cautiously and then stood up to give him a hug.

"Why don't we just leave for the Express so you can feel better?" She suggested and we all agreed that it's probably a good idea before we go in search for my parents. Once we were in the car, Sirius began his assault on James' psyche.

"Mister Potter, Alexa pulled my hair. Can you give her a detention?" He asked while trying to keep a straight face. James, for his part, ignored him studiously until we got to the train station. It was quieter than the usual screaming din of people and I began to feel weird as well, looking quickly around for Lyla and Remus and hoping that they made it to the station soon.

"I'm going to go put our stuff on the train," Sirius said as we passed through the pillar that led us onto platform 9 ¾ where we hoped to find Lyla and Remus. As everyone milled around and James talked to his parents and my own parents as they stood to the side, Blair and I searched the crowd that had yet to board the train for my sister and her husband. It had only been a few days since we had last seen them, as they had had to go see Dumbledore about their school arrangements and I'd been busy packing my life away as best I could into the trunk, but I felt like I hadn't seen my sister in forever.

"There she is!" Blair called out while pointing towards a short brown bob and Remus' sandy head of hair. "Lyla! Remus! Over here!"

They turned towards us, waving, before Remus pulled their trunks towards us and Lyla hustled up to us. "Hey. Gods it feels like I haven't seen you all in forever." Lyla said while pulling us into a hug. As her maternal hormones had started to flourish, Lyla became a little more touchy feely than she had been before. It was funny and I enjoyed seeing her be so happy about life.

"Yeah, I mean, three days is such a long time. How did we ever go without?" Remus jested as he met up with us. Lyla stuck her tongue out at her husband, who wrapped an arm around her and kissed the top of her head. Sirius and James quickly joined us as our parents all milled about and talked to some of the other parents.

"Does anyone else feel anxious and jittery?" Sirius asked in a rare show of nervousness. I looked at him and raised my eyebrows when I noticed that he couldn't seem to stand still.

"I mean it's probably just because it's our last year, Pads." James said, but I noticed that he too seemed more unstable than he usually was.

Blair shoved James slightly and then put her arm around his waist as he placed his arm over her shoulder, using her as an armrest as she rolled her eyes at him. "You guys need to calm it down. You're acting like damn fools." She relented as some clouds darkened overhead, the sun no longer shining through.

As the temperature cooled off, I started to feel the same way that Sirius had mentioned before. A feeling of dread came over me and I looked around, trying to see if anyone else was having the same reaction as I was. Blair's face was pale and she gripped onto James a little tighter. Sirius grasped my hand as Lyla put a hand over her stomach. "Okay, now I don't know what you all are trying to pull but stop it." I said in a shaky voice, as it got quieter around the platform. Everyone was staring around them, no one knowing what to do.

Sirius, James, and Remus shrugged, looking just as confused as everyone else. Then, as if answering the question in everyone's mind, someone from down the platform called out 'Dementors' and the platform went crazy. Out of the shadows, dark black masses swooped into the platform, and we ducked quickly as Sirius pulled us down. Lyla, James, and Sirius pulled their wands out; ready to do whatever they could when Blair called out for our parents.

It occurred to me then that I had left my wand in the trunk I had given Sirius to put on the train earlier. Breaking free from Sirius' grasp, I pulled Blair with me when I saw her standing up and directly in the line of fire as wands were pulled out and lights started flashing every where. "We have to find the parents. My mom is clueless and I don't have my wand."

Blair nodded, and then grabbed Lyla as a beam of red jetted by her. "What the hell are you doing?" Lyla yelled out when Blair started to drag her with us.

"Sirius! I don't have my wand." I yelled to him as he stood with James and Remus, dodging spells from the men in masks that had arrived shortly after the hooded dementors. His eyes widened for a moment before he looked towards the train and gestured with his eyes. I shook my head and his jaw clenched before he ducked over to where we were standing.

"You all need to take care of Lyla and get her out of here. Go back through the pillar if you have to and wait for me in the girl's bathroom, okay? It looks like this is only contained to the platform now." Remus hustled over and took Lyla by the hand.

"Let's go, ladies." He said in an authoritative voice and we were swept away before I knew what was happening. I searched the crowds as we made our way back to the land of the muggles and frowned when I couldn't see James or Sirius anymore. The next thing I know, I was being pushed through the entrance back into King's Cross. No one was any the wiser as we strolled out into the open. It was calm and collected, as much as the 11 o'clock rush allowed, on this side and my heart raced.

"We have to go back." I stated as quickly as I could while Blair looked around, tears in her eyes.

"I agree with Alexa. We can't just let all those people deal with this on their own." Lyla argued while Remus stood his ground, shaking his head.

"No. Lyla you are pregnant and those are dementors. They'll get you before you can do anything to stop them. Alexa, you don't even have a wand." He sighed and hustled us towards the bathrooms where Sirius told us to go. "Like I said before, no. Our parents are competent and wizards. They're not going to let anything happen to each other. James and Sirius are both in the Order. They're smart and can take care of themselves."

"And what about everyone else; the first years and the younger kids?" Blair asked, her hands shaking as she leaned against the sinks and took a deep breath.

"Help will be here soon. I'm sure of it." Remus lamented and we sat in silence while the world continued on around us.

Less than an hour later, although it seemed like an eternity, I spotted a head of dark hair as I sat outside on a bench near the bathroom. Jumping up, I felt my heart leap into my throat as I sprinted forward and jumped into Sirius, who wrapped his arms around me tightly, lifting me to him as we hugged fiercely. "I am so happy you are okay." I mumbled into his neck, realizing that I had started crying without noticing.

"Everything is alright now." He told me as he squeezed me tighter and then lowered me back down. "James is helping the younger kids onto the train with Lily. Most of them have left when everything started but a few of them are still there. Your parents are in their helping with Mr. and Mrs. Potter." I nodded and let out a sigh of relief as he took my hand and we waited for Lyla, Remus, and Blair to walk over.

He told everyone about what was going on and then we walked back to the platform, entering into what looked like a wasteland. When they were all up to date on what had happened, we walked back to the platform, bracing ourselves as we entered into what looked like a wasteland of the nearly empty platform and scattered debris. I looked at one of the trunks lying on the ground, clothes scattered around it, as a book lay torn and trampled by its side. The war we'd all wished away was here now; it was time to stop living in the dark. Sirius placed a hand on my shoulder, alerting me to the fact that he was still there, and I took a deep breath before turning around to face him.

His hair was curling around his collar, grown out from the many times he'd forgotten to cut it in the haze of summer, and he looked older suddenly. I wondered if that was how it would be from now on. If we'd just keep getting older and older, until one day we'd forget about all the things that made life fun, and would just be those people who had been weathered by tragedy and destruction. Taking my eyes away from him, I glanced around the platform once more. The feeling of being pressed down upon, something akin to being smothered, began to smother me.

"This can't be how it's going to go," I said, while trying to stop my voice from shaking. "It's not fair. It's not how things are supposed to happen. This is our last year; we're supposed to grow up and have fun and be young. Lyla is supposed to have her baby, they're supposed to be happy and safe."

"I know, Alexa." Sirius said, bringing his hand away from my shoulder to grasp my own.

"This isn't safe. This isn't happy. This is destruction and war and terribleness. It's everything that life isn't supposed to be. How can one person be that cruel?" I couldn't stop my voice from trembling, and I pulled out of Sirius' grasp, walking away down the platform. I picked up the first trunk that I found, piling the contents back into the space provided. Tears stung my eyes but they didn't fall, and I refused to let them.

It wasn't the time to be weak I had to remind myself. As I continued to repack the scattered trunks, occasionally running upon families who were doing the same, I tried to compile a list of all the information I had heard about this man who had sent the Dementors today. I knew he hated muggles and things non-magical. I thought about my mom who had never been magically inclined in her life. I thought about Gran, who knew almost nothing of this world. I knew that he didn't take kindly to those that were not of the most pure blood. I thought of Lyla and her child, both being half-bloods. I thought of Remus, his blood riddled with the lycan curse.

By the time I stood up, my head was spinning with the realization that we were all in danger. None of us were safe. Even James and Sirius, both pure-blooded wizards, would be put in danger for refusing to side with Voldemort. I didn't know what to think, my eyes pricking with tears, and I knew in that moment, that seventh year was going to be full of changes and decisions, ones that I didn't necessarily want to make.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	10. Rule 44: Regarding a Marauder's Health

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Lyla-darling, really? You would laugh at the jest of your best friend dying?” Sirius placed a hand on his heart, making a pitying look with his signature puppy eyes. “I guess my best friend hugs will just be wasted on someone else then.”

_Previously On _The Marauder's Guide: To All Things Good…

_The summer started with preparations for the Wedding of the Year, aka Lyla and Remus being joined in Holy Matrimony. After moving out of their respective houses, Remus and Lyla joined the long list of newlyweds who live in a new apartment of their own, preparing for the birth of a little baby Lyla. Sirius and Alexa are currently together again, after spending the majority of the summer tiptoeing around the fact that they were still madly in love with each other. James has just been named Head Boy, while Blair frets over the idea of James and Lily in such close quarters. As the summer came to an end, the six best friends that anyone could have were reunited on the platform of the Hogwarts Express, where they got their first taste of the brewing war between Voldemort and his followers and the Order of the Phoenix. Which leads us to this very chapter…_

* * *

_Alexa's Point of View_

_Rule 44: Should a marauder, or an associate of a marauder, be put in a tricky situation, it is your duty as a fellow marauder to prevent said marauder or associate from being harmed._

* * *

"The headmaster would like to speak with the six of you." McGonagall began walking away as I looked over at Lyla, who seemed just as shocked as I was. She shrugged her shoulders, moving to follow our Head of House when said woman glanced behind her and said in her sternest voice, "Now." It was like my legs were moving of their own accord as they followed her from the doors of Hogwarts to the Grand Staircase. I felt Sirius take my hand in his own, his thumb rubbing over the tops of my knuckles, and I let myself relax into his side.

The train ride had been one of the most silent rides I had been on in my 7 years of school. The trolley never once made its rickety way down the corridors, there were no first years running around the compartments looking for friends, and not once did I hear the telltale sound of magic being done. It had been empty, long, and silent, with only occasional questions and their answers breaking the barrier in our own compartment.

Blair, who had been silent since her outburst of tears when she saw that James was in one piece once we got back to the platform after the attack, finally spoke. "What do you think is going on? Do you think this is about the," she lowered her whisper even more, "Order?"

Remus shrugged, his arm around Lyla's waist tightening imperceptibly. "It could be. Though it wouldn't make much sense for Alexa to be here then, seeing as he made it perfectly clear that we be of age to join."

"Hey! I resent that." I spoke up, trying to lighten the dark mood that lingered over my friends. Sirius, understanding what I was trying to do, bumped my nose lightly with our joined hands.

"Tiny little Alexa Parker, still but a wee tyke of 16," James, for the first time since we got on the train, cracked a smile and a little joke. I felt a sense of relief wash over me. If James, who looked the most troubled of us all, could crack a joke then I knew things were going to be all right.

"Maybe he just wants to see us about keeping us all in line this year," I looked at Lyla with a raised eyebrow, then pointedly at her stomach.

"Says the mother-to-be. Maybe we should have been the ones keeping you in line after all this time, hmm?" I used my free hand to pull Lyla away from Remus, and then put my arm through hers. She squeezed my arm, pushing her elbow into my own, and I removed my hand from Sirius' to pat her very pregnant belly. "Did you hear that, Little Alexa? Your mommy is a very bad influence on all her friends."

"If you would please unhand my wife," Remus said playfully, giving Lyla a quick kiss on the cheek. "And we've told you numerous times, we're not naming our baby Little Alexa. We can't have another one of you running around. One's bad enough."

"A very true assessment, Mr. Lupin." We all looked up from our teasing to find Dumbledore standing in front of us, a pleasant smile on his face despite the fact that his eyes were troubled. "If you would please follow me?"

I stepped in line behind Lyla as we made our way up the stairs, trying to listen to James and Sirius' whispering behind us. Blair, who was at the head of the line, looked behind her at all of us, pulling a face and nodding at the long line of gargoyles lining the winding staircase as we followed our headmaster up to the top.

"What are you two talking about?" I said in my lowest voice, pausing before entering the office to look at James and Sirius, both who appeared rather guilty to be caught.

"Nothing, love. Let's go in," Sirius put his arm on my lower back, ushering me into Dumbledore's office. I crossed my arms over my chest, knowing something was going on but not wanting to push it. As we gathered around the desk in the middle of the room, I tried not to be amazed at how much the office seemed to have changed since the last time I had been in this room. Everything seemed to shine with some sort of hidden magic, and just as I was starting to turn my head every which way to get the best staring in, Dumbledore began to talk.

"I'd like to thank all of you for the courage you showed on the platform today, especially you Mister Potter. Taking your Head Boy duties seriously already." There was a slight smile on his face as he said this, and I looked over to the chair two down from mine to see James turn slightly red in the ears at the compliment. "Now, I know you must have some questions about why this happened and how it happened, but I can only tell you at this point that it is being looked into by some of the top aurors in the Ministry and they assure me they are doing everything they can to get to the bottom of it."

"With all due respect, sir, how do they plan to do that exactly?" I looked in surprise at Blair, who looked very skeptical at the idea of the Ministry doing anything to help. Dumbledore looked at Blair, his eyes twinkling again as he nodded in agreement.

"They haven't deemed it necessary to inform me of their ideas yet, Miss Winchester, but I assume it will be met with much deliberation and looking deeply at pieces of parchment." I couldn't help the grin that formed on my face, despite the fact that the subject was so serious. I found great comfort in the fact that, even in the face of the dangers we faced today, Dumbledore was able to be so upbeat. If that wasn't enough for me to feel safe, then what was?

As Dumbledore continued to talk, and answer the questions of the very quizzical group of people I called friends, I thought about how, even though there was nothing to prove me right or wrong, the castle I had called home for the better part of 6 years felt so much safer than I had even felt at home. Within the walls, the winding hallways, the hidden chambers, I felt like nothing could reach me. It felt that nothing would hurt me here. For what felt like the first time in hours, I took a real breath, one that wasn't tinged with worry or fear.

Someone cleared their throat, and I looked up to realize I had been staring blankly at a portrait of one of the past headmasters for the better part of the last ten minutes. He had the most outraged look on his face, and I felt myself blushing as he shook his head derisively and muttered something about ungrateful children. As I looked back at my friends, I realized that everyone was staring at me, Lyla rolling her eyes as Sirius and James sat stoically and unimpressed. When I turned to Dumbledore, he was smiling slightly, the troubled look in his eyes replaced by amusement.

"Uh, could you repeat the question?" I felt myself color even more as Dumbledore's smile widened and he let out a slight chuckle.

"As I was saying, Miss Parker, you are still under age and will not be of age until the twelfth of December, is that right?" I nodded and Dumbledore looked satisfied as he turned towards the rest of the group. "I'm sure you are well aware at this point then, of the group I have begun to organize known as the Order of the Phoenix. While it is true that many of the members of the group and I have decided that all members be of age when joining, I'm willing to make a special exception in this case. You are a bright witch, Alexa, and seeing as the rest of your friends have already been instituted as members, I would like to also extend the offer to you."

I felt the breath leave my lungs, my fear of the war beginning outside the walls crowding my thoughts. I felt Sirius take my hand and squeeze lightly, before he spoke. "I'm sorry, headmaster, but I don't think it's right for Alex to join yet. She's not old enough and it's not safe for her to be out there."

"I agree with Sirius," James said as he steepled his hands together. He looked over at me, giving me an apologetic look. "I couldn't stop the rest of us from joining, but I don't think it's right for Alexa to be apart of it yet. What if she were to get hurt?"

"I'm right here, you know? And I'm not a child. I've had just as much schooling as the rest of you. I'm just as capable." I spoke up, feeling anger bubbling inside of me as Sirius and James looked at me like I was out of my mind. I turned to my sister, to Remus and Blair that were sitting on the other side of me. "Tell them they're wrong."

"Alexa," Remus started, and I could tell by the look on his face that he was about to agree with the other two Marauders. I shook my head in disbelief.

"Lyla is pregnant, Remus. She's joined the Order, and no one has had anything to say about that." I gave my sister an apologetic look, but she smiled at me.

"I think she should be allowed to make the decision for herself." I gave Lyla and appreciative look, which she returned. "I don't want anything to happen to Alexa, but I also don't want anything to happen to anyone else, and if everyone else was allowed to join then I say she should be able to as well."

I turned to Blair, who shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not going to tell you what to do, Alexa. This is your choice to make and yours alone." She reached over, patting me on the arm in her mother hen way. I sat up straighter in my chair, looking at Dumbledore who had watched the exchange silently, the half-smile ever on his lips.

"Sir, if it's all right with you, I'd like to have a few days to think about it." I couldn't tell what Dumbledore was thinking, and I wanted so badly to take back my words, but I knew that what I was saying was what I wanted. How could I commit to something with all my support if I didn't know that I would be able to be a fighter when the time came? It was selfish, probably one of the most selfish things I had done in my life, but I knew what was coming and what was associated with war. How did I know I'd be able to kill someone, even someone as cruel as Voldemort, when I could barely stomp on a bug?

"I think that is a very smart decision, Miss Parker. I'll expect your answer in a short time, then." He looked at the rest of my friends, to Blair and Lyla who returned his smile, to Remus who did his best to seem unworried, and to James and Sirius who both looked like he'd just told them he wanted Slytherin to win the House Cup. "Now, I'd like a few words with Mr. Potter about his position about Head Boy, but the rest of you may be dismissed. I believe dinner should be starting shortly." We stood up to leave, Sirius pulling the door open and almost running poor Lily Evans over as she stood poised to knock. "Miss Evans, right on time, please come in."

I looked over at Blair, gauging her reaction, but she seemed calm as she placed a chaste kiss on James' cheek, smiled a greeting at Lily, and followed after Sirius. As Remus went on ahead, I walked with Lyla, who was slow going on the staircase as she tried not to fall. "Hey, thanks for sticking up for me in there, Lyls. I know it was just something little, but I appreciate it."

"It's a hard decision to make, Alex. But it's one that I don't want anyone else making for you. And besides, what are sisters for if they don't take your side every once in awhile?" She stepped from the last stair, letting out a breath and frowning down at her pregnant belly. "I can't wait to just give birth."

"Preferably not here in front of Dumbledore's office though, yeah?" I teased and she rolled her eyes. "You know, sisters are also for sharing their cool new digs with their other sister?"

"Ah, yes, let me just tell Remus, who by the way is my husband, that he needs to go back to sleeping in the boy's dormitory. I'm sure that will go over swimmingly. I mean, why would he want to sleep with his wife anyway?" Lyla stated sarcastically, and I shrugged my shoulders and nodded in agreement.

"Exactly. Anyway, I've heard she snores and likes to keep the room frigid like an icebox. Who would want to sleep with that anyway?" We laughed with each other, making our way towards the Gryffindor common room to change into our robes, me making my way to the girl's dorms while Lyla branched off right before the common room to go to her new rooms. The Fat Lady, who looked less thrilled to see me than she did Lyla, asked for the newest password that I hadn't heard yet.

"I'll need the password to let you in." She said with a very arrogant air about her. I glared, biting my tongue from saying something very rude that would probably get me locked out of the common room for weeks to come.

"Can't you just go to your other portrait and tell someone to come out and let me in? Please?" I was close to losing my mind at this point, but she continued to stare at me with her haughty look. I opened my mouth to let out some stream of colorful curses when the portrait swung open and the Fat Lady let out a huff.

"Sorry, Alex! I forgot you wouldn't know the password yet," Blair said, flustered from what appeared to be running down the stairs half-clothed. Her shirt was on inside out, her skirt sideways and half-zipped, and she was only wearing one sock and shoe. "It's flobberworm, by the way. The password."

"Yes, thank you for clarifying. Here was me thinking you were talking about your new perfume." Blair sent me a horrified look, lifting her shirt up to smell it. "I was kidding, Blair! You don't smell like flobberworms." The laughter coming through in my voice must have been too much for Blair because she gave me a wide-eyed look and then took a calming breath.

"Sorry, I just have been panicking a little over what Dumbledore could be talking to James and Lily about. I mean I know they are supposed to have a dorm to themselves and stuff, but Lily's trunk is on one of the beds upstairs so I don't know what's going on and it's killing me." She took a break from freaking out to walk up the stairs to our dorm faster than a human being should go upstairs, and I trudged along after her, trying to catch my breath. I was definitely not looking forward to walking to class everyday.

"You know, Blair," I started, pausing to catch my breath. Why did we have to go so far up to get to the seventh year dorms? "I would think that you'd be happy that Lily will be in our dorms this year, that way you won't have to worry about James and Lily being in the same area."

"You'd think, but then I started to give it a little more thought. If they don't have the same common area for just them, they'll have to go somewhere else to talk about their duties and stuff, and then he'll have to spend even more alone time with her." She looked at me while flipping her shirt back the right way and buttoning it up. I gave her a patented confused face, and she just threw her hands up. "You don't get it, Alexa. But that's okay."

"Look, you just have to trust James to do what is right. He loves you, and that's all you need to know." I started to pull things out of my trunk, looking for the set of newer robes I had gotten that didn't have ink spilled all over one of the sleeves. As I began to get changed into my school uniform, I gave Blair one last nugget of thought to chew on. "And just in case you refuse to let go of this crazy notion in your head, just remember, don't let James in on the fact that you're crazy."

"Don't you worry. I've got this all under control." Blair said, tapping the side of her forehead in a knowing way. I nodded my head, not believing her for a minute. I pulled my brush from my trunk, walking into the bathroom to brush the knots out of my hair and use the mirror to put my hair up into some semblance of style. When I came out, Lyla was sitting casually on my bed, already in her uniform and flipping through a magazine.

"Hello stealth." I said, scooting her feet off my trunk so I could remove some of my bathroom supplies and claim a sink as my own in the bathroom. "When did you decide to take over my title as Queen of Stealth?" I asked when I came back into the room.

"I've always been stealthy, Alexa, I just let you borrow the crown for awhile." I opened my mouth to protest, but then thought of all the times Lyla had snuck up on me when we were younger, and I closed my mouth. "I knew you'd see it my way."

"Whatever," I said, flipping my hair over my shoulder nonchalantly. "Anyway, where's good old Remus at?" I dumped an armful of clothes into one of the drawers of my wardrobe and went back for another load.

"He's trying to get Sirius to hurry up with changing into his uniform. Shouldn't you be sorting those?" Lyla, I could tell, was itching to get up and do it for me, but I waved her off.

"I have a system. Uniforms in one drawer, socks and under things in another, all other clothes in the last drawer, and anything I deem fancy hanging in the top. What's taking Sirius so long, I wonder?" I shut the last drawer, taking my makeup out of the trunk. I looked at the shoes left inside, shrugged my shoulders, and shut the trunk putting it at the end of my bed. Placing my makeup in the bathroom, I came back to sit at the end of my bed and wait for Blair to be ready.

"He's probably scheming up ways to get you to not join the Order." Blair said as she shut her trunk and placed it under her bed. She took a look at herself in the full-length mirror and nodded at her reflection. "Ready to go?" As we moseyed down to the common room, Blair and Lyla chatted about the upcoming year. We spotted the boys waiting on one of the couches. "Should we wait for James or go ahead without him?"

"I'm starved, so maybe we should just wait for him in the Great Hall?" Lyla said, looking hopeful that we would agree. I shrugged, and followed the rest of the group towards the smell of delicious food.

Sliding my hand into Sirius', I waited for him to look down at me before giving him my most charming smile. "You're not mad at me, are you?"

"Can we not talk about this right now?" He asked, and I continued to look at him, waiting for him to give in. Running his free hand through his ruffled hair, he let out a sigh. "I'm not happy about it. But you've got to understand, Alex, I just don't want anything bad to happen to you. I've only had you back for a short time and I'm not hoping to let go of you anytime soon."

I felt my heart melt a little at his words, and I snuggled closer to his side, letting go of his hand so he could wrap it around my shoulders while I put my arm around his waist. "I don't want to lose you either. I'm not saying that I'm ready to join it yet, but when and if I am, I'd like it if you would support me in my decision. Plus, if you think about it, we'll have each other to watch each other's backs if it does happen."

"Why don't you just stay home and pine away for me though?" I raised my eyebrows, and he cracked a smile to let me know he was kidding. Squeezing me closer, he let out one of his bark-like laughs, and ruffled my newly brushed out hair. I dodged, moving forward before I turned around and looked back at him. "I'm just imagining you hurling insults at Death Eaters."

"I'll have you know my insults are very stinging." There was laughter from in front of me, and I whipped around to send Remus a very harsh glare. "Don't you laugh at me, Lupin. As my brother in law you are bound to defend me and agree with everything I say."

"Not sure that's actually how it works, Alexa." Remus responded and I let out a long-suffering sigh before letting Sirius catch up to me as we walked with the rest of our friends into the Great Hall.

"I don't know about the rest of you, but that was an extremely disheartening sorting and dinner." I nodded my head in response to Lyla's comment, following the rest of my friends out of the Great Hall. Because both Lily and James were from Gryffindor, they had the duty of taking the first years to the common room. I searched Lyla's face for any sign that she was upset about not being a prefect any longer because of her current situation, but she only seemed tired, not emotional.

"Do you think there's something more that Dumbledore and the teachers aren't telling us? I mean, the attack on the platform probably did send a lot of people home to feel safe, but there were a depressing amount of people gone today." Blair stopped at the top of the stairs to wait for the rest of us as we trudged along after her. We queued up behind a group of third years on the moving staircase so we could get to the Gryffindor dorms, and formed a little circle on the stairs.

"Probably; but with the staff here there's always something going on." Sirius ran a hand through his hair and threw a wink at the passing staircase. I rolled my eyes, reaching up to flick him in the ear. "Hey now! I've got to give the people what they want."

"I wonder if they'd like to see you thrown off this staircase?" I mused aloud, and Lyla let out a small giggle before Sirius gave her an offended look.

"Lyla-darling, really? You would laugh at the jest of your best friend dying?" Sirius placed a hand on his heart, making a pitying look with his signature puppy eyes. "I guess my best friend hugs will just be wasted on someone else then."

Lyla rolled her eyes, reaching over to place her hand on Sirius' shoulder. "I have some bad news for you then, Sirius. If you're going to force me to stop being your best friend then I'll have to find new best friends."

The staircase stopped and we continued to the next, longer set of stairs. The queue was shorter this time, and we reached the top, able to get off at the next platform and walk the short distance to the Common Room. The Fat Lady stood looking at us, making her breasts seem larger by arching her back.

"Anyway, if Sirius is through with being a child, we can get back to the original topic. I'm sure that over the next few days we'll see more people coming into the school. Dumbledore did say that the trains would continue to run for the next few day, and that they would send owls to the students that were missing. It's a pretty safe bet to say that everything is going to go back to normal." Remus, always the voice of reason, assuaged most of our fears with his soothing voice and his smart assessments.

Linking my arm with Blair, we rerouted our positions away from the Fat Lady who was waiting for us to give the signal that we'd like to go inside. "Those are some rousing words of encouragement, Reems, and I thank you for them."

"Now, however, I think we should be introduced to your new digs, don't you?" Blair said, smiling winningly and waiting for Lyla and Remus to give in.

"Yeah, but if we show you where they are then you'll be coming to annoy us any chance you get and can we really afford that?" Lyla retorted, placing her hand on her belly and rubbing slightly. "Though, I guess in all honesty I could do with sitting down."

"Well then! It looks like it's settled. Show us the new pad or be forced to endure the Fat Lady sing." Sirius joked, much to the disparagement of the Fat Lady who let out a 'why, I never!' Remus rolled his eyes, but nevertheless took his captive audience a short walk down the corridor, and stopped in front of the painting of a seascape.

"I swear to the three of you if you use the password to your advantage in any way and we find you in here without our permission," Lyla started, looking over at Remus who nodded along with her.

"We'll find you and we won't hesitate to kill you." Remus finished for her, pointing his wand on the middle cloud above the gently moving painting, and muttering a word under his breath that I couldn't hear. I looked to Sirius, then to Blair trying to see if either of them had heard the word (because Lyla and Remus threatening to kill us was nothing new and nothing too worrying), but it seemed we would have no such luck to use their room as our own personal common area.

"After you," Lyla said, waving her hand in a flourish as the painting jumped open and revealed a small walkway. Sirius led the way, no hesitation evident in his walk, and let out a small gasp as he entered the wide room in which the walkway gave way.

"You all have got to be kidding me! This place is the shit!" Sirius clamped his hand over his mouth, and then looked back at Lyla's stomach. "Sorry, little one. I apologize for those harsh words but once you see your home I'm sure you'll say the same."

"I hardly doubt that Lyla's newborn child is going to use the word 'shit' when they first pop out of her." I said, pushing Sirius further into the room and looking around. Lyla's reprimanding of me went in one ear and out the other as I took in her new home for the year. It was done in soft muted reds and white, gold accents scattered around to hearken back to the Gryffindor common room. There were two plush couches in front of a fireplace that was currently dimmed do to the heat that still lingered after summer.

In one corner of the room was a small kitchenette, with an icebox and small stove. I imagined Lyla or Remus awake late at night with their little baby, warming up bottles of milk and cooing them back to sleep. There were three different doors that lead away from the main room, and I walked over to them. One door was already open, and Blair stood inside what I could see was a baby room. There were a few items that we had brought from Remus and Lyla's apartment, and other things that I assumed had been staffed by the school.

Blair cracked a grin when she saw me, having a small laugh as she looked around. "Please just imagine McGonagall picking out this stuff, especially the little plush toys on the changing table." I smiled along with Blair, not able to stop the giggles that were falling from my lips.

"I wonder if she's a fan of elephants in particular or if someone else picked those out?" There was a group of three elephants in the corner, one clearly a mother, the other the father, and the third the child. I rubbed my hand over the toy's soft fur and smiled. Sirius came into the doorway, popping his head into the room and allowing a small smile to take over. "Have you searched the other two rooms yet?" I asked, walking towards the door to go exploring.

"You're going to flip your lid when you see the bathroom," He said, taking my hand and leading me to the door in the middle of what I assumed would be the main bedroom and then the baby room. When we stepped inside, I felt my mouth drop open. The floors were done in a light white marble, while the double sinks were a beautiful deep blue marble. There was a claw-footed bathtub that looked large enough to fit three or four people in, and in the corner the shower contained three showerheads. There was a view of the grounds and the lake from the far side of the room.

"There is a 90 percent chance that I'm going to leave you for this bathroom," I said, placing my hand on the bathtub and running my fingers over the porcelain.

"You would think that but you really won't because if I find you taking a bath in my tub I'm going to be the saddest of people." Lyla said, laughing as I looked at her in despair. "Come on and look at the bedroom; the bed is probably one of the eight wonders of the world."

As we walked into the main room again, the portrait swung open once more. We waited with baited breath as Lyla and Remus exchanged confused glances, until James stepped in carrying the largest lollypop I had ever seen. "Oh good, you're all here. I was hoping to find you guys." He continued gnawing on the candy, casually looking around the room and making noises of approvement.

"Uhm, sorry, James, not to be rude but how did you get in here?" Remus asked, watching in disbelief as James stuck the whole sucker into his mouth, which stretched widely and made the lewdest noise I had ever heard. My face went crimson as Sirius choked on his laugh beside me. Blair rolled her eyes at her boyfriend, shaking her head at him in disgust. As James pulled the lolly back out again, he grinned like a crazy person.

"Well, this was originally going to be the heads dorms, so I have the password. And really, I have the password to all the common rooms so you shouldn't be so surprised." He shrugged, before continuing to eat his lollypop.

"This is such a gross overuse of power," Blair said, pulling the lolly from his hands and tossing it in the bin in the kitchen area. James made a noise of protest as he looked forlornly at the trash.

"It took me ages to convince that first year that lollypops were forbidden in the castle, Bear!" James pouted as she shook her head at him and placed a well-timed thwack to the back of his ruffled hair.

"Oh, man. It's good to be back, isn't it?" Sirius asked to the general crowd of the room. Lyla made a non-committal noise in the back of her throat before pulling Blair and I into the main bedroom to make us jealous of her new dorm.

* * *

"I'm begging you not to make me go! I can't bear the thought of having class today and seeing the teachers again for the first time. Please!" Begging, it seemed, was futile as Blair dragged me down the staircase Monday morning and I held on for dear life. As James and Sirius waited for us at the bottom of the stairs, I continued to plead.

However, it wasn't long before the stairs turned to a slide and Blair and I both went sliding all the way to the bottom. Now, I'll admit, sliding down seven flights of stairs may seem fun in theory, but by the time we landed in the floor by the boys' feet I felt rather sick. "That was so unfunny I forgot to laugh." Blair stated as she started to pick herself up off the floor.

"Yes, well, it's nice to know that we have a surefire way to get you down the stairs if there is ever another need for it," Sirius said, helping me off the floor and keeping my hand after we were standing. I gave him a short kiss on the lips for his help, and then squeezed his hand as tightly as I could with my own until he grimaced.

"That was for knocking us down the stairs, brat." I gave him a cheeky smile, and then started to take in the surroundings. The Common Room was bustling, as students got ready for the first day of classes. I saw first years on the outskirts of the room, checking their uniforms incessantly to make sure everything was in order. A few of the older kids were tossing the book of a small girl to each other above her head.

Pulling my wand from my skirt, I levitated the book from their grasps and floated it back into the girl's hands. When the boys caught my eye, I gave them a patented Evon Parker glare, which they shrunk back from.

"Come on, Alexa!" Matthew and Xavier said at the same time, and I shook my head at them.

"I will not hesitate to write an owl home to your mother, boys. You may be my cousins but bullying is totally unacceptable." The rolled their eyes at me but ceased their teasing nonetheless. As soon as we were out of earshot of my cousins, I let a pretend shiver come over my body. "A little bit of my mother just came out in my voice, and I don't think I liked it."

"It's my sudden authority rubbing off on you, Alex." James said, and I shoved him some with my free hand as I stowed my wand back in the pocket of my robe.

We took turns exiting the Common Room, and when we were all finally out of the portrait, I heard an exclamation of relief. "Finally! What in the heck have you all been doing for so long? We were supposed to leave for the Great Hall ten minutes ago." Lyla, who apparently had turned into a starving beast since she went to bed last night, grabbed my arm and started to drag me to the stairs.

Since my hand was connected to Sirius' at the moment, he was dragged along as well. He, in turn, grabbed Remus, who grabbed James, who grabbed Blair, and we made a hilarious line of gangly teenagers as Lyla led the way with her pregnant belly hormones. When we reached the Great Hall after almost running over at least ten people in the process, Lyla paused, causing our train to run into each other.

"A little warning next time, big sister." I complained and I rubbed the back of my head, which had just been hit by Sirius' jaw. Peering around Lyla's short frame, I tried to catch a glance of what she was looking at. At the entrance of the Great Hall stood a group of boys, each with the Slytherin insignia on their robes, surrounding a small girl who looked absolutely terrified.

"I'm on it," James said without hesitation, his hatred of the Slytherin house taking precedent over the fact that he shouldn't be getting in trouble now as Head Boy. Sirius and Remus followed him, eternally having his back in all situations. Blair and I stood with Lyla, a safe distance away just in case anything bad were to happen, as we watched it all go quiet. "What's the meaning of this?"

"Well if it isn't our fearless Head Boy. Come to join in our fun?" It was a boy with stark white hair, almost a silvery sheen encompassing his head, with pale skin and what I would describe as a 'hoity toity' nose. James stiffened, and his hand went slowly to his wand resting in his pocket.

"I'll take care of this," James told the young Hufflepuff, who nodded quickly and scurried into the Great Hall. I noticed her be received by a group of three girls who were waiting for her at the entrance. "I want an answer, Malfoy, and I won't be asking again."

My heart caught as I realized this was Lucius Malfoy that was heading the group, one of the meanest Slytherins I had heard of. I knew that Snape carried on with him, and that he took particular pleasure in torturing those he deemed to be beneath him. If there was ever anyone I'd like to see James hex into the next century, it was Lucius Malfoy.

"It's none of your business, Potter." I looked at the person who had spoken, realizing them to be Bellatrix Black, who I had originally figured to be a boy. I refused to let myself giggle as I looked at her bad haircut. My eyes travelled to Sirius, who had stiffened immensely. His hands were tensed, one holding so tightly to his wand that I thought it would snap. Remus, realizing the same thing, put his hand on Sirius' shoulder to restrain him if necessary.

As James opened his mouth to speak, there was a throat clearing from behind all of us. I turned to see Professor Flitwick and Slughorn, who were looking at us expectantly. "If you would all kindly disperse into the Great Hall. Schedules will be handed out soon." Slughorn looked at us all individually, his tone making it clear that if we didn't want to spend our first week back in detention we would do as he said, and then he walked into the hall.

"Just watch your back this year, Potter." With those final words, Malfoy and his posse brushed past us all into the Great Hall. James stood rigid, watching as they disappeared into the crowd at the Slytherin table. Lyla moved from her spot, placing her arm around Remus' waist and walking with him to the Gryffindor table. James took Blair's hand, following along, and I stood back, wrapping my arms around Sirius in a tight hug.

Breathing in deeply, I let the comforting smell of my boyfriend wash over me as he squeezed me back. "Are you okay?" I asked, looking up at his face, which was shrouded slightly by his long hair. I pushed his hair behind his ears, earning a smile as I tickled the skin behind his ear.

"I'll be okay." He gave me one last squeeze before placing his arms around my waist and frog marching me to the table with our friends. As we tucked into the food, we waited for McGonagall to bring us our schedules for our final year of schooling. I held my breath slightly, wondering what the year would bring and if it would bring a schedule that would keep me interested enough to not fall asleep in class any longer.

When McGonagall reached us, she gave us a tight smile before finding the correct documents and handing them to us. "Everyone ready?" Remus asked, and I nodded along with the rest of the group, praying I did well enough on my exams to get back into Transfiguration. "Okay, open them and place them on the table."

We all did so, and I let out a huge sigh of relief when I saw the results. "Thank Merlin," I said, a laugh escaping me as I felt a million stones lighter. Blair laughed at me from next to me, rolling her eyes as I placed my hands on Sirius' face from his spot across from me. "You absolute genius tutor." Kissing him quite soundly, I released him with a flourish, feeling proud as his cheeks turned red.

"Please do not extend those same rewards to the rest of us," Lyla said, but I could tell she was just as relieved as I was that I would be continuing with the rest of the group. I took a moment to look at the schedules, feeling pretty happy with what I saw. On Monday's and Wednesdays, I had Charms with James and Remus, while Lyla and Sirius shared Care of Magical Creatures, and Blair went to Muggle Studies. Then, as luck would have it, we had double Transfiguration and double Defense as a group. On the other three days of the week, I went to double Potions with the group, then we had a free period, the I shared Herbology with James again as Lyla, Blair, and Sirius went to Charms, and Remus sat through Ancient Runes. And finally, it all ended with Astronomy.

"Pretty good haul this year," I heard James say, sounding happy with the results as well.

"Ancient Runes again, Remus?" Lyla said with a laugh and he shrugged his shoulders with a good natured smile.

"One of us needs to keep up with the spell breaking," He teased, placing his hand on her stomach and rubbing lightly before he placed a small kiss on her neck.

Fake retching noises came from all around the table, but they only waved us off. "We are married and we will do as we please." Lyla said in her best authoritative voice. There was a round of 'boos' that did nothing to persuade the married couple to quit their kissing and cooing at each other.

James, saving us from what was sure to be a rousing time and an ensuing food fight, stood up, grabbing a muffin in his hand and his book bag in the other. "Remus, Alexa, let's go give Flitwick a proper welcome from his favorite students."

"Please don't torture the poor man, James," Blair pleaded, but James only gave her a saucy wink in return.

"He can't do too much torture, Blair. I suspect it's the reason they separated James and I for Charms this year." Sirius said, flicking a blueberry from his fruit at Remus as he kissed Lyla once again before preparing to leave as well. "Whatever will we do without each other, Prongs? How will I survive?"

"Just remember, they can't take our love from us. They can separate us, they can place us miles apart, but we'll always have our memories and our love." James and Sirius held their hands out towards each other, their fingers barely touching as Blair stood up between them.

"You two are absolutely ridiculous." She said, rolling her eyes, but reaching up to give James a kiss all the same.

"I guess this is goodbye, my love." Sirius simpered, leaning across the table. I let myself laugh, leaning towards him for a kiss. As our lips separated, I shoved a particularly sticky bit of pudding onto his cheek, grinning evilly as I pulled away. "You wound me so."

"A small price to pay for my love." I retorted, taking my bag from Remus' outstretched hand and waving goodbye to my friends as I walked to the last 'first day' I would have at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	11. Rule 6: Notes on Pranking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He rolled his eyes at Alexa and then leaned back in his seat. “Enjoy it while it lasts, this is the first and last time I will be early for class. My intense love of pranks just happens to be much stronger than my need to be chronically late.”

_Rule 6: Pranking is never a yes or no question; it must always be met with great enthusiasm and vigor as per the Marauder Pledge._

_Lyla's Point of View_

* * *

"How do we already have this much work?" Alexa asked with a huff. She laid her head down on her book, and seemed to completely surrender to the minimal reading we had been assigned. "I thought seventh year was supposed to be all about having fun and enjoying our last moments as irresponsible teenagers before entering into reality."

I rolled my eyes at her as I flipped the page of my potions book and jotted down a few more notes. "Let's be honest," I told her, "You'll spend the majority of the time complaining about doing school work, procrastinate to the point of no return, and then just borrow someone else's homework."

She made a face like she was prepared to disagree with me, but then just shrugged her shoulders. "Why should I change my ways now, when they've worked so well for me over the last six years?" she questioned. Honestly, she had a somewhat valid point. While I know that Alexa is much, much smarter than she leads people to believe, and that she could easily do all the schoolwork herself, she just sort of fell into this habit and stuck with it.

"Rest easy, Lyls," Alexa added. "I will eventually hit my academic stride. I may even try completing some assignments and studying for exams days in advance." I gasped dramatically and then laughed at my sister. "For tonight though, I cannot tolerate looking at this book for another minute." Alexa slammed her book closed, the noise reverberating through the library. "What do you say Blair? Care to join me in my procrastination?"

Blair eyed Alexa's closed book and then looked back at her own. "Even though I promised myself that I wasn't going to let myself get behind in my reading this year, my mind is still in summer mode." She pushed her book away and Alexa let out a cheer. "I don't know how you get back into school mode so quickly," Blair told me.

Alexa leaned across the table toward Blair as if to tell her a secret. "Lyla is one of those people who actually likes school," Alexa said in a hushed tone. Blair just shook her head, going along with Alexa. "I know, it's so sad, can you believe I have to live with the embarrassment of that being her sister."

"You two are hilarious," I told them. "You two won't be laughing when you get asked a question in class about the reading and I refuse to whisper the answer to you."

"Point taken," Blair said, heeding my warning. "Continue on your path of enlightenment."

As Blair and Alexa began to discuss the most recent issue of _Witch Weekly_, the Marauders themselves joined us. Peter, who had been a vague presence as of late, was even present, and it was nice to see them all together again. As James, Sirius and Peter took seats around the table, Remus pulled a chair up next to mine and placed a kiss on my cheek.

"I've never been in the library this early in a term before," James said looking around at the other students. "This newfound responsibility is really doing a number on me."

"Before you slide too far down that slippery slope, Prongsie, I have a proposition," Sirius jumped in. "I have the perfect suggestion to pull us out of our midweek blues and save you from becoming too responsible."

I could hear Remus laughing quietly to himself and when I looked over her was already shaking his head. "Let me guess, you've come up with some prank," Alexa said. "You're so predictable." She gave him a little jab with her elbow but he wasn't deterred.

"Actually, Wormy took the lead on this one," Sirius corrected, pointing over to a blushing Peter. Even after all the time we spent with Peter, he still got so shy around us; it was actually kind of endearing. "Earlier today, he came to me with a most hilarious idea for a prank and I think we should do it. What do you guys say?"

Remus looked to me with a questioning gaze. It was almost as if he was asking me for permission. Resting my hands on my stomach, I gave him a smile and shrugged my shoulders. I could see in his eyes that he really wanted to do it, and honestly he didn't need my permission. I know that we were married now, but Remus was his own person and could make these kinds of decisions on his own, although I did appreciate the sentiment. Pretty soon we would both be too busy with the baby to do this kind of stuff so I wanted Remus to get his fill in the time we had left.

"I'm going to need some more details before I commit to anything, but I'm basically in," Remus agreed. Sirius clapped Remus on the back and then everyone turned their attention toward James, who was looking particularly conflicted.

"So, what's it going to be James?" Blair asked him. I swear I could almost see the wheels turning in James's head. This was a totally different James than we were used to. If it had been last year, or even this past summer, James wouldn't have even hesitated to join in the prank, in fact, he probably would have been the one to instigate this whole thing, but it seemed that he was really trying to take his new role as Head Boy seriously.

"Don't get me wrong; I love a good prank, but Lily told me I really needed to set an example for the younger students this year," he reasoned. Alexa looked to Blair and then looked to me with wide eyes. He had said the "L" word, and there was no telling how Blair was going to react. Blair was trying to make peace with James and Lily sharing their duties, and she had even grown to like Lily over the summer, but it was still a sensitive subject.

It seemed that Blair was not going to react well to the mention of Lily in this instance. "Since when do you listen to what Lily Evans has to say?!" Blair blurted out. When she realized we were all giving her somewhat stunned looks, she softened her expression and rephrased her previous comment. "What I mean to say is that you are a Marauder at heart, and you need to be true to that. One little prank is not going to end your Head Boy career. Dumbledore knew what he was getting when he appointed you as Head Boy, I'm sure he understands that you'll still get into some mischief."

I gave Blair a thumbs up and a nod to let her know that she handled that like a champ. She gave me a quick smile and then focused back on James. He thought about it for a minute more and then broke out into a huge grin. "If anything, I could use this as a teachable moment on responsible pranking," he explained.

"I wouldn't go that far," I told him. Sirius looked ecstatic that the Marauders were all back in their element. "So, what is this brilliant prank that you've got planned?"

Before Peter could get a word out, Sirius motioned for him to not say anything. "You'll just have to wait and see like everyone else," he informed me with a smirk. "The less you know the better. Now, Marauder meeting in fifteen minutes up in Remus and Lyla's room."

I made a face at Sirius, and Remus immediately jumped in. "Absolutely not," he told him. "What part of 'You will not make our dormitory your personal common room' did you not understand?"

"Don't be greedy, mate," James chimed in. "What are friends for if not to share their ridiculously comfortable couches?"

James and Sirius just looked at Remus and me with ridiculously cheesy, pleading smiles. Realizing that they weren't going to give up, and realizing that it was going to be damn near impossible to keep our dorm from becoming Marauder headquarters, I figured it was just easier to give in now. "Just go," I told them. "Get out of here." Sirius and James both cheered loudly and quickly abandoned their seats at the table. As they said their goodbyes to Alexa and Blair, Remus turned toward me.

"What happened to the united front we were going to take on keeping our dorm a private area for just us?" Remus asked with a smile.

"Don't worry, I'm thinking ahead," I informed him. He gave me a questioning look and I continued. "With them already there, it'll be that much easier to put them on diaper duty once the baby is here." Remus just laughed and then placed a slow kiss on my lips.

"I married one brilliant woman," he said. "I'll try to get rid of them quickly so it can be just you and me tonight, how's that sound?" I nodded my head and brought his lips back to mine.

Alexa let out a groan, completely ruining our moment. "Could you two be any more nauseatingly adorable?" she questioned, a slight look of disgust on her face "Your happiness is really starting to become too much." I stuck my tongue out at her and she just rolled her eyes.

As the Marauders gathered together, Sirius stopped them and wrapped his arms around his friends' shoulders. "Ladies, take the rest of the evening to mentally prepare yourself for what is going to be quite the prank," he instructed. "Damn, it's good to be back." And with that they took off to work out the finer details of their prank.

"Has anyone seen Sirius?" Alexa asked, scanning the hoards of people in the corridor to see if she could find him. "It is the first week of classes and he is already not showing up. His laziness astounds me."

I scoffed, and she gave me a heated look. Laughing at my dear sister, I gave her a nudge. "Calm down," I counseled. "Sirius told me he would be here. There is no way that he is going to miss seeing his illustrious prank go down."

Alexa nodded in agreement as we entered into the classroom to settle in for another rousing day of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Once in the classroom, I immediately noticed a familiar black-haired boy sitting at the front of the class. However, this sight was not at all familiar. There, sitting in the first row, was Sirius Black, and he appeared to be early to class.

"Okay, who are you and what did you do with my boyfriend?" Alexa questioned as she slid into the seat next to Sirius. We all took various seats around him and waited for his response.

He rolled his eyes at Alexa and then leaned back in his seat. "Enjoy it while it lasts, this is the first and last time I will be early for class. My intense love of pranks just happens to be much stronger than my need to be chronically late."

"So, spill the beans already," Blair said, getting right to the point. "What did you all plan? If I get anything in my hair or on my robes I will kill you all." As Blair gave them a pointed stare, they knew that her threat was legit.

James quickly jumped in to put Blair at ease. "Don't worry, Bear, our primary target is our new Defense professor. Who better to prank than the unsuspecting new guy?" I shook my head in slight disapproval.

"No wonder we have a new Defense professor every year," I mentioned. "You lot torture the poor professors around here. This poor person isn't going to know what hit them."

Sirius put his arm around me and gave me a sickeningly sweet smile. "We just are doing our neighborly duty and informing him of who we are," he corrected me. "After today this professor will never forget our names."

James leaned forward from his seat behind us and had a slightly concerned look on his face. "Wait, I thought we agreed that we wouldn't get caught for this," James tried to clarified. "It's my first week as Head Boy, I can't get in trouble. My mum will not be pleased if she finds out."

Sirius turned to his friend and gave him a pat on the back. "Never worry, Prongs," he told him. "I know you are trying to take your responsibilities seriously, and I of all people can respect that." The four boys had a quick laugh at the pun and then Sirius continued. "I made sure that the Marauders were recognized for their pranking prowess, but made it abundantly clear that you had nothing to do with it, even though we all know you did."

Just as Sirius thought he had tied all those loose ends up, I saw a rejected look on James's face as he leaned back in his seat. I could tell that James was torn, he wanted his part in the prank to be recognized, but he also didn't want to get in any trouble this early on. I gave him a warm smile and then turned back to the front of the classroom as the professor entered the room.

Our new professor set a few books on the desk and then looked out at his class. With his hands on his hips, he gave us a genuine smile. Despite the wrinkles that made appearances here and there on his face, his eyes were wide-eyed and he possessed a young energy. I, for one, was relieved that he was somewhat older. After everything that happened with Professor Wolfe, the last thing I needed right now is Remus getting jealous over another young teacher.

"Good day, class," he addressed us. There were half-hearted grumbles from both the Gryffindor and Slytherin students that occupied the desks. We had had our fair share of Defense professors, and we were beginning to get pretty skeptical of any person that attempted to occupy this position. "I'm Professor Graham, and I will be your professor for the coming year."

Beside me, Sirius shifted anxiously in his seat. Alexa hit his leg under the table and he rolled his eyes at her. Professor Graham seemed nice enough, and I truly felt bad for him, knowing the impending prank was soon to happen. "Well, now that formalities are out of the way, we can get down to business. We'll begin with some basic theory of a few curses." He turned to the blackboard and pressed the chalk to the board.

As he began to write, he prattled on about the specifics of the curses that we'd be starting with. After Professor Graham had gotten quite a bit written on the board and turned back to us to elaborate, the words on the board began to break apart and the letters morphed and rearranged themselves. I looked to Sirius who had the widest, most satisfied grin on his face. A low murmur began to fill the classroom as more and more students realized what was happening. Slowly, the letters ceased moving and the new information on the board was anything but academic.

Laughter and gasps popped up in various parts of the room. The laughter primarily was located amongst the Gryffindors, while the Slytherins sported angry glares. Scrawled in chalk across the board were various insults and jokes, most of which were directed at specific Slytherins that were seated but meters away from us. It didn't take long for the entire class to break into chatter, and Professor Graham looked panicked as the class got away from him. Still oblivious to what was behind him, he tried to settle all of us.

Sirius leaned back in his chair and shook Remus's hand in congratulations. "So, what do you think?" Sirius questioned, looking to Alexa, Blair and myself.

"I have to say, the charm used to rearrange the letters was very well done," I admitted.

"That may be so," Alexa chimed in, "But the insults are rudimentary at best." Sirius gave her a shocked look. "I feel like you didn't even try."

Sirius scoffed and crossed his arms over his shoulders. "Moony, Wormtail, Prongs, are you guys hearing this?" he asked rhetorically. He turned back to Alexa and narrowed his eyes. "Do you think everything Michelangelo created was as brilliant as the Sistine Chapel?" Alexa nodded her head, but Sirius continued, ignoring her response. "It wasn't. He couldn't make a masterpiece every single time. I'll admit this isn't our Sistine Chapel, but even our mediocre work is better than most, and I'm pleased with that."

I couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous comparison. "Besides, this isn't all," Remus commented. He pointed back up to the board and there we saw that Professor Graham had finally figured out what all the fuss was about. As he read what had replaced his information, his face grew more appalled. He quickly scrambled for the eraser and wildly tried to erase the chalk. However, the words didn't smudge even the slightest. With every pass of the eraser, the words almost seem to become more vivid rather than disappear.

"Who is responsible for this?" Professor Graham questioned. "Who did this?" As he said this, additional words began to appear in the bottom right corner of the board. _Courtesy of the Marauders._Below this words were three symbols: a crescent moon, a paw print, and a small rat. Noticeably missing was James's stag. "The Marauders? I will ask one last time, who did this?" Remus, Sirius, and Peter stayed firmly in their seats and surprisingly; none of the Slytherins sold them out. "I will get to the bottom of this, but for now, class is dismissed."

We all quickly gathered up our stuff and filed out of the classroom. Before we could get too far, a group of Slytherins, including Snape, Avery, and Mulciber, stopped in front of us. "You think you and your friends are real clever, don't you, Black?" Avery said to Sirius.

"Oh, lighten up, Avery, it was just a joke, I can help it if you and your friends are easy targets," Sirius responded.

Avery shook his head and then let out a slight laugh. "It's pretty sad what the Black name has become," he spat at Sirius. "I'm sure your half-blood girlfriend really makes mum and dad proud."

I'm startled as Remus and James quickly move to grab Sirius before his fist can make contact with Avery's face. I grab Alexa's hand in my own and have to remind myself to breath. Avery laughs again, which only makes Sirius angrier. "Don't worry Black, there will be plenty more occasions in the future where you'll be able to defend your precious half-blood and mudblood friends. I hope you're happy with your choices, though, I don't think your family would even take you back at this point."

Alexa squeezed my hand tighter as the two boys just stared at each other for a minute. Without another word, Avery, Snape, Mulciber and the others turned and left. Sirius shook out of Remus's and James's holds and took off toward the Gryffindor common room. We all followed suit, and could only catch up with him once we were all outside the portrait hole.

Remus led us all into our dormitory and Sirius began to pace back and forth, working off his anger. "What did Avery mean when he said Sirius would have more opportunities to defend us?" I questioned, going over what he had said once more in my mind.

"That son of a bitch is fighting for Voldemort," Sirius seethed. "They all are."

"Now, we don't know that," Alexa said, attempting to keep things reasonable.

"Like hell we don't," he told her. "I mean, Dumbledore is recruiting students, we'd be stupid to think that Voldemort wasn't doing the same. We have to tell Dumbledore."

James put a hand on Sirius's shoulder. "Just wait a second, Pads," he cautioned. "While you may be right, we can't just go rushing into Dumbledore's office accusing students of something like this when we don't have a single shred of proof."

Sirius shook his head in disappointment. "James, we can't let them get away with this," he told his friend. "After what he said about Alexa and Lyla; and what he called Blair. He can't just say that shit and get away with it."

_Mudblood._ The word shot across my mind and made me feel sick to my stomach. I looked over to Blair who was sitting in one of the chairs just staring at her lap. Blair knew that none of us thought of her in that way, but I can imagine that just hearing that word hurt like hell.

"They won't get away with it, Sirius," James promised. "But we have to be smart about this. They will get what's coming to them, we just have to wait for the right time. For now, just steer clear of all of them, especially you three," he said pointing to me, Alexa and Blair.

After a few moments of silence, Alexa spoke softly, "I've made my decision." We all looked to where she was sitting and waited for her to explain. "There's no way I can't join the Order now. If they have a problem with me, I'm going to fight them head on. I'm not going to sit back while others fight this battle for me."

After Alexa made her proclamation, I watched Sirius, who was just staring at Alexa in disbelief. Alexa just shrugged her shoulders unapologetically, which seemed to set Sirius off. He pushed past James, shaking his hand from his shoulder and slammed the door behind him as he left. "Alex," I said with a look, "Do you think that was the best time to tell him that? He was already on edge."

Alexa raised her eyebrow at my chastisement. "He'll get over it, Lyls," she assured me. "He's not going to change my mind just because he's throwing a fit."

James began to move for the door to go after Sirius, but I quickly moved to stop him. "I'll go talk to Sirius," I told him. "You stay with Blair." James looked to where Blair was sitting, clearly upset, and gave me a nod.

I pushed open the door to the boys' dormitory and Sirius was still fuming as he sat on the windowsill. As I neared closer to him he let out a frustrated sigh. "James, mate, I'm just not in the mood to talk," he muttered. When he turned and saw me, his face softened slightly as I took a seat on his bed. "Did they send you so I won't get too irate?"

"James was going to come, but I think Blair needed him to stay with her," I explained. Anger crept back onto his face at the mention of Blair. "Sirius, I know you're upset by all this, they said some very unkind things to you, but this is exactly what they want. They want to get a reaction out of you, and provoke you to do something you could get in trouble for. Don't give them that satisfaction."

"They can say whatever they want about me, Lyls, I can take it and I probably deserve most of it. But when they bring my friends into it, that's when I have a problem," he told me. "I don't buy into all that blood purity shit, and it makes me absolutely sick that I'm related to people who would bring harm to you, Alexa or Blair because of it. And there's no telling what they would do to Remus if they knew what he was."

I shuddered at the thought and tried to shake it from my mind. "We all know that that stuff doesn't matter to you," I assured him. "But you don't have to take it upon yourself to protect all of us just because you feel guilty about your family." I could tell that I had found a truth in all this by the way Sirius's face changed. "You have been abused and rejected by your family because you've chosen a different path than them, that's nothing to feel guilty about."

"Does Alexa understand that there are people who would hurt her or even kill her just because your mother is a muggle?" he questioned. "I'm afraid that someone might target her because of who I am, to teach me a lesson." My heart ached as Sirius voiced his concerns. The world was changing, and the truth was, nobody was safe. I pulled myself off the bed and went to where Sirius was, pulling him into a hug.

When I pulled away, I gave Sirius a small smile. "Just so you know, I think Alexa feels the same way," I speculated. "She would rather them hurt her than hurt you because of her. We're all in danger, Sirius, more than I think any of us realize, but we can't let that consume us. Worrying about what could happen will only drive us mad. Don't push Alexa away because of this, you guys need each other more than ever now."

He gave my hand a squeeze and gave me a grateful smile. After a few moments his face became serious again. "I still don't trust those guys," he said. "They may not be directly fighting for the other side, but they definitely sympathize with them."

"I think you're right, but there's nothing we can do anything about it without proof," I told him. "Knowing Dumbledore, he's probably already aware of it and is keeping an eye on them." Sirius nodded in agreement and then there was a knock on the door. Remus joined us in the room and gave us a smile.

"Everything sorted?" he questioned. Sirius and I gave him a nod. "Great, there's something else you probably want to attend to now." I could tell that something wasn't right by the uncomfortable look on his face. "James left to go meet with Lily, and Blair didn't take it well. Everything I said just made the situation worse."

"Where is Blair now?" I asked.

"After Peter left, she and Alexa moved into our room on our bed," he answered.

Remus looked completely confused by the whole situation and he couldn't have looked more precious. I ruffled Sirius's hair and then went to Remus giving him a quick kiss. "Thanks for trying," I told him. "You boys behave, and go find Peter to make sure he's not too traumatized."

When I reached the top of the stairs leading back to mine and Remus's dormitory, I paused for a moment to catch my breath. While I had stayed relatively active during my pregnancy, it seemed in the last few weeks, my body was starting to weaken and I had more difficulty getting around and staying awake.

From the common area of our dormitory I could see into the bedroom. Alexa and Blair were under the covers and Alexa had her arm around Blair. Blair's eyes were red and puffy and her cheeks were damp enough to catch the light as I entered the room. "Well, this looks like quite the party," I joked as I joined them on the bed, taking a seat at the foot of the bed. Blair gave a weak laugh and stretched her hand out to Lyla. I took her hand in mine and gave it a squeeze. "What happened, Blair?"

Blair explained to me that she was already upset after what Avery had said and that she just lost it when James left to meet with Lily. "I really needed him to stay with me," she told us. "But I shouldn't have to beg, he should want to be there for me when I'm upset, right?" Alexa and I both nodded as she continued. "He said he really couldn't miss this meeting with Lily, there just wasn't anything he could do."

"Well, you know how Lily is with that kind of stuff," Alexa tried to reason. "James could have been in a world of hurt if he didn't go, maybe they had something really important to discuss."

Blair just rolled her eyes and shrugged. "I feel like I'm losing him," she confessed in a whisper. I rubbed her hand that I was still holding, but it didn't seem to comfort her. "Not just because of Lily either, I feel like we're drifting apart just in general. We don't talk like we used to."

"I love you both, you know that, and I want you both to be happy, Blair," I started. "Sometimes, even if you truly love the person, the relationship just doesn't work anymore. You need to do what makes you happy, Blair."

"Lyla's right," Alexa added. "We just want you to be happy. And we'll support you no matter what. You just have to hang in there."

Blair rubbed her eyes and let out a restrained scream. Alexa gave me a look and then looked back to Blair. "I'm just being silly," she said with a forced laugh. "I shouldn't be worrying about problems that I'm not even sure actually exist, especially with everything that's going on." It was obvious that she was just putting on a brave face and didn't believe anything she was saying, but Alexa and I complied with smiles. "Thanks for putting up with me, you two. Now, I should probably go find Remus and Peter and apologize, I kind of snapped at them earlier. Peter seemed to be a little unsettled by it."

She got up from her spot and casually left Alexa and I alone in my room, almost as if nothing had happened. Alexa's eyes widened as she looked to me. "Wow," she stated simply. "Blair is on the verge of losing it. This whole James thing is really getting to her. I just hope they can work something out before she completely loses her mind."

"You know how Blair is, she wears her heart on her sleeve," I said. "She loves deeply, but the hurt is equally deep. I just wish I knew where James's head was at with all this. I'm honestly not even sure he realizes that there is a problem."

"We'll have to prod Remus and Sirius for information," she suggested. Just as I was about to bring Sirius up, Alexa silenced me with a look that clearly conveyed her desire not to talk about Sirius. Instead, she leaned forward and patted my protruding stomach, which seemed to be growing every day. "Little Alexa, listen to your auntie, stay away from boys, they only cause trouble." The only response to this was to roll my eyes at my dear sister.

_James POV_

"Sorry I'm late, Lily," I quickly said as I slid into one of the chairs in the library. "I had to deal with a few things."

Lily never once looked up from the book in front of her. "Maybe if you didn't spend so much time planning inane pranks with your friends, you'd have some more free time for these meetings," she said, a slight chill in her tone. She finally looked up and raised her eyebrows at me before closing her book and pushing it aside. "You guys will eventually get in trouble for that stunt, you really can't afford to get in trouble considering the position you have this year. You're supposed to be a role model for the younger students James; you should start taking that seriously."

I let out a groan. This conversation was getting tiresome. "Can we not do this tonight, Lily?" I requested. "I've had to deal with a lot lately, and don't need you on my back as well."

Instead of the angry expression I expected to see, Lily seemed almost apologetic. "I heard about what Avery said to you guys; what he said about Blair," she admitted. "While I don't necessarily agree with your all's prank, no one deserves that, I'm sure Blair must be feeling awful."

"You know, your pal Snivellus was there when Avery said those terrible things, he seemed to share the same views," I pointed out. "How can you be friends with someone like that?"

Lily shifted uncomfortably in her seat and cleared her throat. "Severus has turned out not to be the person I thought he was," she told me, sadness in her voice. "He's been getting a little too extreme in his views lately, so we haven't been hanging out much. He swears he doesn't think that way about me, but I'm not different than Blair. Both of my parents are muggles, just like hers, so how could he not feel the same way about me as he does her and everyone else like us."

A few moments passed between us. To be honest, I didn't know what to say. It was the same when Blair was talking about this. I didn't know how they felt, I couldn't possibly fully understand the hurt of being called a mudblood, and I didn't want to risk saying the wrong thing. Luckily, Lily continued and broke the silence. "I don't mean to be so hard on you," she said with a smile. "At this point, it's kind of a force of habit. You're not as bad as I had built you up in my mind. But, I'm working on that."

I couldn't help the smug grin that took over my face. "I will remember this day for years to come," I joked with her. "The day that Lily Evans actually admitted that she was wrong about me all along and that I'm actually a decent human being. This day is starting to look up."

She rolled her eyes at me and waved me off. "Please don't ruin this nice moment we're having," she cautioned. "I'm just saying, that after spending time with all of you guys over the summer holiday, I realized just how great of a friend you are. You all really care for each other so deeply; it's actually really sweet. Not everyone is that lucky, I sure haven't found that."

I leaned forward in my chair and rested my arms on the table. "You know, Lily, you're not the person that you want everyone to believe you are," I told her. "If this summer proved anything, you showed us that you could be carefree and a little reckless. I think that's a bigger part of you than you let on to everyone here. It's not too late for you to find those friends that will be there until the end. You just have to let us in a little bit." She gave me a shy smile and nodded her head tentatively. "I would also try to tone down the judgmental side of yourself," I advised with a laugh.

"I'll keep that in mind," she replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	12. Rule 60: A Point on Meddling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyla ducked behind a conveniently placed wooden chest as a pair of footprints ran past. I continued to pick at my chipped fingernail polish as Lyla took a minute to think about her answer. “I think that it’s probably best if you don’t get involved. You know what happens when you meddle. Need I remind you of what happened when you meddled and thought that Sirius was engaging with Laura?”

_Rule 60: Meddling of any kind in a matter that does not directly involve you is strictly prohibited, unless it involves older, sexier women, and whether or not they want to shag us. Then meddle to the point where maximum meddling has been achieved_

_Alexa's Point of View_

* * *

"Do you know what I don't understand?" My friends turned to look at me as I sat, filing my nails in the middle of the carpet of Lyla and Remus' common room. It was nice to not have to fight for a space in the crowded Gryffindor common room at the moment, especially as the weather was frighteningly dark and dreary outside at the moment. The fire was crackling merrily and the quietness of the room made it easy for studying. Well, in Remus and Lyla's case. Blair and James seemed more interested in staring and studying each other's faces, while Sirius was dozing lightly on one of the plush chairs.

Lyla rolled her eyes at my short attention span, and then looked at Remus for help. As always, when confronted with his pregnant wife, Remus jumped to her aide. "What is it that you don't understand, Alex?" He asked with the air of slight but not whole interest.

I finished with my nails, and then stood up, stretching out my sore legs from sitting criss-crossed on the floor for so long. I looked over to where Sirius was sitting, and decided that now was as good of a time as any to sit on his stomach. Tiptoeing over to the sleeping boy, I addressed Remus' question. "Well, we spend so much time here in your alls common room, that I don't think we've seen anyone outside of class in a few days. Not that I'm necessarily complaining," I chose this moment to smooth out my school skirt and sit unceremoniously on Sirius' stomach. He stuttered awake as I continued, "But I just don't understand how we all haven't killed each other yet."

Sirius struggled into a more comfortable position, lifting me up and placing me in his lap instead on his diaphragm. "I'm about to kill my girlfriend if she keeps wounding me," He muttered, and I shrugged while turning around to place a small kiss on his jaw line. He gave in quickly, wrapping his arms around my waist and settling his chin on my shoulder.

"Are you telling me you want us to see other people, Alexa?" Blair asked, raising a hand to her chest in mock hurt.

"I, for one, wouldn't mind if you all spent a little less time in our private setting," Lyla murmured, finally placing her quill down on her essay. James eyed it with a pleading look in his eye, knowing that he'd have to do some serious groveling before Lyla gave up her answers again.

"So what would you suggest we do, then, dear Lyla? It's raining outside so we can't go out there. The library is full of madmen and the Gryffindor common room is overrun with plebeians." James gave a disgusted look, and then crossed his arms over his chest moodily. "I'm so bored I want to give people detentions just for being in the way."

Sirius' head popped off my shoulder, and his vision turned towards his best friend. "Are you thinking of what I'm thinking of?" His eyes twinkled with whatever thought was travelling in his head, and James perked up at the idea.

"I think I am, dear Padfoot," He looked over at Remus, who was staunchly avoiding both of their stares. "Oh Remy?" Both boys cooed together, and Lyla and I exchanged a look, unsure of where this was headed but knowing that it probably wasn't heading anywhere particularly good.

"I can't see or hear you, unfortunately, as I still have two more essays to finish and a quiz to study for on Friday in Potions, which I suggest you study for as well." Remus told them, pulling his books back towards him and pretending like James and Sirius didn't exist. I could tell that it wasn't going to stop, however, as James and Sirius both stood up and went to stand over behind the couch that Remus and Lyla occupied.

"Ello' ol' chap, my name is Remus Lupin and I'm a right git to my friends when I don't want to take place in their Marauding and fun times." Sirius began to do what I assume he thought was a good imitation of Remus' voice. I watched as he nudged James, who did his own version of Remus as well.

"School and studying are so important because my head is full of smart brains and ideas that my friends couldn't possibly understand," James said, dragging smiles from Lyla, Blair, and myself. Remus remained staunchly straight faced.

"You see, my friends don't quite match up to my brains and I can't help but want to be rid of them." Sirius said, and as if on cue, they moved around the Remus and gave him their best versions of puppy dog eyes. "You don't think we're half-witted, do you, Remy?"

"That would be a cruel world to live in indeed, Sirius, should Remus find us lacking in wit." James said, pretending to look gravely sad. As they both continued to look at Remus with mock sadness, I couldn't help but let a giggle escape, sending Blair and Lyla into giggles of their own. We watched together as the seams of Remus' resolve began to unravel.

"Fine! Fine then, you bunch of vagabonds." He shoed them away from him as they both cheered and shook hands with the other. Lyla laughed out loud, moving to give Remus a small kiss on the cheek as he pouted on the couch. "I'll do whatever it is you're thinking but I reserve an hour to study in peace and quiet."

James and Sirius gave what they would call gravely serious faces while nodding at Remus' request, but we all knew that as soon as Remus gave in, he was going to be getting no more work done for the current moment.

"So what is it exactly that you're planning to do?" Lyla asked, grabbing a pillow and adjusting it behind her back. I watched with intrigue as she settled into her new position, holding onto the bottom of her stomach like she was keeping the baby in place. With only two months left until the baby was born, with early November being what Madame Pomfrey said would be 'go time', she was doing her best to keep up a normal lifestyle, while fatigue and back pain began to get worse.

I gave my sister an encouraging smile, which she returned, before turning back to Sirius and James who looked like they were about to explode with happiness. "Hide and go seek – Hogwarts edition," They said together, a flicker of mischief lighting up both of their eyes. I rolled my own eyes, wondering how they thought they were going to pull off a mission like that. Blair let out a sigh and went back to her magazine that she had abandoned an hour ago with a flourish of boredom.

Sirius and James looked between the four holdouts, a look of panic coming over James' face. "You guys are kidding me right?" When none of us answered, he looked to Sirius in alarm. "Padfoot, you have to do something!"

"Calm down, Prongsy." Sirius said, pushing him slightly until he was back on the couch with Blair, who barely looked away from her article. "So let me get this straight," Sirius began, looking at each of us in turn. He threw me a small wink, and I gave him a blank face in return. "You all, four of James' best friends and one fellow Marauder, are going to let our fearless leader, our true joy bringer, succumb to a boredom that could very well send him into madness?"

"Sirius, I don't know if you know this, but I'm seven months pregnant. My feet hurt, my back feels like someone stepped on it, and my insides are literally being kicked from all angles. Do you really think a game of hide and seek is what I want to spend my time doing?" Sirius looked at Lyla with scrutiny, and then put his hands on his hips.

"I once shattered my arm with a bludger just so James wouldn't have to play Quidditch alone in the rain when he was feeling particularly low. You could at least pretend to play even if you just sit around and knit while everyone else plays." He raised his eyebrow at my sister, who looked to be gearing up for a retort.

James, mercifully, cut in. "We could have a pregnant woman clause. Whoever tags the woman carrying a Marauder's offspring automatically loses. That way you basically win without having to do anything, Lyla." He gave her a glittering smile, while Blair and I exchanged glances.

"Wait just a minute. Why are we going to play if Lyla is automatically going to win?" I looked over at my sister and gave her what I hoped was a sheepish look. "No offence, big sis."

"None taken, Alex. I'm beginning to wonder than same question myself." She rested her hands on her stomach, pressing lightly at a sore spot for a moment. "And also, it's not kind to guilt a pregnant woman, Sirius."

For his part, Sirius did his best to look apologetic, but it wasn't quite as sincere as he'd meant because, as everyone in the group knew, Sirius would do anything for James before he would let his best friend be upset. "Well, technically, we'll be playing for second place, but I'm sure everyone would be happy to play with that. I mean, this could be a once in a lifetime, life changing experience."

I made the mistake of meeting his eye, and the pleading look he gave me, plus the fact that I knew I could get away with something in the future by agreeing with him now had me nodding my head semi-reluctantly. There was also a small part of me that wanted to go along with his plan, just because it sounded cool as hell and to watch and see how it would all go down. "Okay, I'm in."

"I know you won't regret this," James said, grabbing me in his arms and squeezing me tighter than actually necessary.

"Okay, that's enough fondling of my girlfriend," Sirius said, scooting James away from me and taking his place beside me. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer to him as I looked at Lyla and Blair, whom I had just betrayed. "Who else is with us?"

Surprising everyone, Lyla cracked a grin and then nodded as well. "I mean, if you can't beat them join them?"

"I feel like that's an everyday occurrence." Remus said, standing from his position on the couch and stretching his back. "Well, you've got us now so lets go."

James looked over at Blair, who was looking as if she was unsure of what she wanted to do. I studied her face closely, seeing something I hadn't seen in some time; she was scheming. "Bear? You coming?" Blair looked up at James, then away from his eyes, almost like she was looking at him without actually looking. I moved my gaze over to Lyla, trying to be as subtle as possible, but she wasn't looking at me.

Sirius squeezed my arm slightly, and I looked up at him, tilting my head towards the door of the room. Not waiting for Blair to figure out what she wanted to do, we made our way out into the main corridor while Remus and Lyla went to their room to prepare themselves. I peeked behind me as the door closed, watching James take a seat next to Blair, his expression befuddled.

"Something is going on," I said when the door shut and the group of younger students had scurried by us on the way to some other part of the castle.

"What kind of something?" Sirius asked. My eyes studied his expression, waging war in my head as to whether or not I should bother him with my observation. Ultimately, I decided I should. Boyfriends were for more than just kissing and carrying your bags around, right?

"I think Blair is doing something sneaky behind James' back." Sirius laughed me off, walking over to lean against the wall. I followed him, my arms crossing over my chest. "You don't believe me, but I've known Blair longer than anyone, even Lyla, and I know when she's up to something. Didn't you see her face when James looked at her?"

"You mean, did I see her look back at him and meet his eye? Yes, I did." Sirius said, pulling my towards the nook he was making with his arms. He pulled me into a hug, trapping me with his arms, which I knew was useless to fight against. Plus he smelled fantastic, and I wasn't quite ready to give up his warmth yet.

Taking in a deep breath, I turned my head up to look at him. "She may have met his eye for a second but then she looked away. She's a master at pretending to look at you when she's not actually looking at you." Sirius looked at me skeptically, and I finally freed my arms to put them around his neck.

"It really did look like she was looking at him though," Sirius said, running his hands up and down my back. I gave him a look, wishing I could raise one eyebrow, but knowing if I tried it would fail. "Look, she'll talk to you about it if something really is going on, but for now I think it would be best if you stayed out of it. You don't want to jump into the middle of that relationship. Trust me." He said when I opened my mouth to cut him off.

"She's my best friend, Sirius. I just don't want anything to happen to her. You'll be joining my side when I figure out what's going on." I told him knowingly, but this time he did raise an eyebrow in skepticism.

Loosening his arms around me, he held me back a little to fully look at me. "So what you're saying is that if something is happening and your best friend comes to you with the problem, you're going to tell me, the best friend of your best friend's boyfriend?" I felt my forehead furrow, going back over what Sirius said in my head, and trying to comprehend his wordplay.

"I really don't have time to decipher what you just said, but in the event that it was something smart, I'm going to make you swear right now that whatever I tell you will not be repeated. On the honor of our love, you have to swear it." Sirius looked at me and tapped his fingers on my arms where they rested. He looked conflicted so instead of pushing him, I did my best to wait patiently, which lasted for a whole minute before I started to get antsy.

"Okay, I promise, but if it's something life-ruining, I get an escape clause." I thought about it, and then nodded my head. "Shall we seal it with a kiss?" He grinned cheekily, not giving me a chance to respond before he leaned down and sealed his lips with mine. I gave in easily, reveling in the warmth of his lips on mine, the steady thump of his heartbeat against my fingers as they rested on his neck. When we broke for air, his grin grew as he looked behind me. "Gentlemen," He drawled, and I turned slightly to see a group of third years stuck at the door of the common room watching us snog.

Rolling my eyes, I let my bitch face fly proudly as they scurried in past the Fat Woman. She huffed something about 'children with no respect' before she closed again and turned her back to us in a showy fashion. I was about to say something derogatory about her atrocious hat, when Blair and James walked out of Lyla and Remus' quarters their hands intertwined and a content look on both of their faces.

Sirius gave me a small pinch on my bottom, smirking proudly, but I knew that something was going on behind closed doors and I wanted to get to the bottom of it. Lucky for me, Lyla was appearing from the door as well, and I had just enough time to pull her towards me while the others walked ahead. We were going to use our sisterly powers and smarts to figure out what was going down or my name was Alexa Noel Parker.

And it was, so I know I'm right.

"So, what would you say if I told you that I thought that something was going on between Blair and James?" Lyla gave me a look that conveyed she was less than impressed with the amount of noise that I was making with such a stupid question. "In the sense that something bad is going on between Blair and James with Blair being the perpetrator."

Lyla ducked behind a conveniently placed wooden chest as a pair of footprints ran past. I continued to pick at my chipped fingernail polish as Lyla took a minute to think about her answer. "I think that it's probably best if you don't get involved. You know what happens when you meddle. Need I remind you of what happened when you meddled and thought that Sirius was engaging with Laura?"

Glaring at my sister, I abandoned my nails to scurry across the opening to another piece of safety in the form of a massive mound of pillows. When Lyla showed up at my side, I responded. "First of all, my meddling was completely warranted because Laura turned out to be Bree, who was trying to break us up." Lyla placed a hand over my mouth as we heard voices on the other side of the pillows. When she removed her hand, she looked at me with wide eyes as we heard shuffling coming closer to us. I took a deep breath, preparing to scurry when Lyla took things into her own hands and lurched at the people on the other side of the pillows.

"According to the rules set down by the Marauder's, we've found you first and therefore you are out for a total of 30 minutes in which you must return to the front of the maze and see one of the Marauder's minions about becoming part of the seekers." The two fifth years looked at Lyla in surprise, opening their mouths to retort, when I stepped up behind her and fixed them with my best-disgusted look.

"You guys going to argue with a pregnant woman?" They shook their heads no, and then turned around with dejected looks, slumping out of the maze of pillows and furniture in the Room of Requirements. "Why are you taking this game so seriously?"

Lyla shrugged, unwilling to admit that she was just as competitive as the boys, just with a more conservative outward expression. "Let's just find a new hiding spot shall we?" I followed my sister as she stealthily made her away around corners, thinking back to a time when this would have been what I lived for. Hanging out with the Marauder's, pretending that I wanted nothing to do with Sirius when really I wanted everything to do with him, and watching Lyla pine away for Remus when he was with Andy, knowing that she would be better for him.

Now she was married and having his baby, doing miles better than any other seventh year I knew. Part of me was jealous of my sister as I watched her walk through the maze with precision. There was a pit in my stomach where worry lived, and it was once again rearing its ugly head.

"What're you and Remus going to do when you have the baby and the Marauder's want to pull stunts like this?" I wondered aloud, watching Lyla for any sign of distress. I didn't want to make my sister address the problems that were soon to arise, but I knew that she was hiding something, especially the worry about a normal life outside of a baby.

"We'll just take turns, or adjust. I mean, it's a baby, not a death sentence for fun." I felt a little taken aback by her snappy tone, but nodded with her.

"I know that. I didn't say it would be a death sentence, I just wanted you to know that even if things change, we'll always be there for you two." I bit my lip, hoping I hadn't overstepped my boundaries. Lyla was once again saved from having to respond when we heard a voice nearby. I also couldn't help but think how convenient this game was for Lyla to not have to address the issues fully that I was throwing at her. Then again, that was a bit hypocritical of me, since usually it's me that doesn't address the issues I'm being faced with.

"Is that Blair?" Lyla whispered towards me, and I focused back on the real world for a minute, listening for the distinct tones of my best friend. Though the tones were hushed, the voice I was hearing was definitely that of Blair. The surprising thing, or not so surprising on my part, was that the voice of her conversational partner was not James. I raised an eyebrow at Lyla, whose eyes widened.

We inched closer, always careful to never give away our positions, and I focused all my will into finding out what they were talking about.

"So I told Maria that it was time to take our relationship to the next level, hoping that when we graduated at the end of the year she would be ready to move in together, and she told me she needed time to think. Yesterday, she just walked up to me in the common room and broke up with me. She said she wasn't interested anymore and it wasn't fair to me if we stayed together. But what's not fair is that she didn't even give me a chance to change or fix it." The tawny haired boy let out a sigh, reaching into his pocket to fiddle with the chain of a nice looking pocket watch before scuffing his trainers across the floor.

Blair looked sympathetically at him, reaching over to place a friendly hand on his knee. "It's going to be okay, Matt. Maybe just give her some time to realize that she made a mistake, and soon you all will be back together and happy again." As Blair's friend, I knew that the smile on her face didn't look as genuine as the statement she made should be, and I knew that she didn't believe the words she had said anymore than she believed that one day peace sign flares would be in style.

"Thanks, Blair. Honestly, it's so good to have someone to talk to about all of this. Even if she is a Gryffindor." He gave a short grin, and I found myself taken aback by how handsome he looked in that moment. I shot a glance at Lyla to see if she was thinking the same thing, and by the red coloring her cheeks I think it was safe to say she agreed.

"Don't mention it." Blair stood from her crossed-legged position on the floor and dusted off her shirt. "Come on, let's get back to the game before someone finds us and we have to join the losing team." He laughed along with her, and stood as well. Blair made to leave, but before she could, Matt the Mysterious Ravenclaw, caught her hand and pulled her into a chaste hug.

She smiled up at the taller boy, before they parted ways at the opening of their hiding spot. Which would have been fine had Lyla and I not been right in the way. Having no clue what to do, Lyla and I dove quickly into the nearest pile of pillows, which thinking back on it may not have been the best idea.

The pile shook violently, toppling slightly to the left, then the right as Lyla and I looked up at the pillow mountain in fear. If that fell on us, we would be crushed forever in feathery down. Thinking of nothing else to do, I yelled 'Run' and pushed Lyla ahead as the whole pile came tumbling down in all directions. We passed a group of sixth years as we went, warning them only by pointing maniacally behind us and continuing on our path.

By the time we had made it out of the maze, a large section had fallen victim to the pillow avalanche. Sirius and James arrived from the left side of the maze unscathed, and looked at us in disappointment. "I can only assume you know what this means." Sirius said while poking me in the ribs and making me flinch away from him.

"We're still not out. There's got to be some sort of reprieve for almost being killed by your stupid fort." I pushed back, making Sirius and James roll their eyes so hard I thought they were going to fall backwards.

"_You _are the one that tore it down!" James said exasperated, but nevertheless at Lyla's stern look he relented. "We're going to have to pause the game shortly then." With one last glare, he went off to find his minions to get the word out that the game was paused for a brief reprieve to be picked up again on Sunday after Saturday's Hogsmeade outing.

"Anything exciting happen in the maze besides you knocking half of it over?" Sirius asked, running a hand through his hair. Lyla and I exchanged a glance, silently relenting that we should keep Blair's friendship with the attractive Ravenclaw for now.

"Not really." I told my boyfriend, smiling and hoping that he'd forgive me later for my blatant lie. He seemed satisfied, placing his hand in mine and walking to the door where people were filing out. "What about you?" I asked, hoping he'd had fun despite the avalanche.

"Another successful Marauder outing in the books, I'd say." He smiled at me, and I reached up, kissing his lips briefly and reveling in the fact that, for once, it wasn't us with the drama.

* * *

Stretching languidly in the bed, I reveled in the fact that, for once, I wasn't being pushed halfway across the mattress as Sirius adjusted to sharing his space. Opting to sleep in my own dorm after a long week of classes and the hide and go seek game, I was happy to be spending a brief moment alone in the morning. As much as I loved Sirius and wanted to spend my foreseeable future with him, it was nice to wake up and be able to lounge in the bed taking up all the room I wanted without him telling me I was a bed hog.

My reprieve of being bothered by anyone ended far too quickly, when Lily ripped back the curtains of my four-poster and sat at the end, a harried expression on her face.

"Uhm, yes, can I help you?" My voice was startled, an after effect of seeing a crazy haired ginger sitting on my feet without so much as a knock of warning.

"Blair has been in the bathroom with the door locked for an hour and a half. I have a date," My mouth dropped open in surprise, which Lily noticed immediately, "It's not that surprising! I have had dates before."

"I know, I was just surprised because you haven't told anyone about it. We talked for like an hour before bed last night and you didn't mention anything." I reiterated, hoping that she would buy the excuse. It was mostly true, but another piece of me was just surprised because I was starting to convince myself that she was starting to develop a crush on James. I realized that I was just speculating, once again meddling in something I didn't quite understand or have the business to meddle in, but I couldn't help it. When I was alone my thoughts ran rampant with conspiracy.

"Well, I wasn't sure exactly if I wanted to go or not, so I decided to wait and sleep on the decision. And then this morning I woke up and realized that of course I wanted to go, so I got up to get ready and Blair was already in the bathroom." I nodded along, waking up more and more as she talked. Deciding I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep after this conversation, I wiggled myself out from under my covers and walked over to the bathroom door.

Trying the handle, I found it locked, as Lily said it would be. I raised my closed fist, rapping the door sharply to see if Blair could hear me. There was no answer, the sound of the shower still running the only sound coming from the bathroom. I turned back to Lily, hoping this would be enough for her, but it clearly wasn't as she only raised her eyebrow at me and nodded towards the door again.

Taking a breath, I knocked my knuckles again, harder this time, and put my mouth to the door hoping my voice would carry. "Blair? You okay in there?" There was a moment of no response, and then the shower wrenched off. I heard footsteps padding towards the door, and then another pause.

"Alex? That you?" The door opened slightly after the lock was unturned, and I saw Blair through a haze of steam. "Can you come inside really quick?" I opened my mouth to answer, not having the chance before Blair reached out and pulled me through the door into the muggy bathroom. I heard Lily shout in protest, but it was quickly silenced as the door was relocked.

"What's going on?" I asked point blank as I stared at a slightly red-raw skin looking Blair. She was standing in her robe; all exposed skin looking like it had been rubbed with a rock or some other manner of exfoliation.

"I've decided to lose my virginity to James. Tonight." She said after I hadn't answered the bombshell she just laid on me. I found myself nodding, not really sure of how to approach the situation, and suddenly wishing I had just laid back down and ignored Lily this morning. Blair's eyes searched my face, trying to find my thoughts, which I'm sure, were written in my eyes.

"Well, I mean, if that's what you think is best than I think you should do it." I paused for a minute, and then bit my lip. "Actually, that's probably the worst advice I've ever given. I don't really know what to say because when I lost my virginity I definitely didn't plan it out. But what I'm saying is if you're happy then I think you should do it. But I'm also saying that you shouldn't put too much into it because then it could be disappointing."

"You think James is going to be a disappointment?" Blair's voice was panicked and she fiddled with the skin on her face that was rapidly turning from the pink of exfoliation to the paleness of worry. "Oh my god. I hadn't even thought about that."

"No, honestly, that's not what I mean. I just don't want you to plan this out too much and then lose the romance of the situation. It will all work out fine." I hastily retreated towards the door, but the worry on Blair's face still remained. "Listen, Blair, these things will happen the way they are meant to happen, and I know that sounds like a cop-out answer, but I really do believe it. When Sirius and I first became intimate, it was awkward and kind of odd, but it was perfect at the same time. You and James will be fine together because if it's meant to happen it's going to. Now, I'm not saying that it won't be a little weird or something won't go a little different than planned, but you're going to be fine, and you'll probably end up laughing about it together anyway."

Blair nodded, trying to put on a brave face and then quickly wiped under her eyes where a few stray tears had started. She had worked herself into a strife, which was typical of Blair, but I wondered if there wasn't something lurking beneath the surface that was making her worry as well. Before I could ask, however, there was a knock on the bathroom and Lily's voice through the wood.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I have a date to prepare for!" Lily's voice sounded anything but sorry, and Blair's concern turned to confusion.

"Lily has a date?" She asked me in a hushed tone and I shrugged, and then nodded as I walked towards the door.

"Apparently that's the thing to do now. Go on dates with people and get boyfriends and such. Very interesting developments happening in the seventh year girl's dorm today." I laughed with Blair as we both walked out of the bathroom and Lily flew in, muttering to herself and slamming the door behind her before we could even say hello, or sorry in Blair's case.

"Hey, Alexa?" Blair asked me from her bed before she disappeared behind the curtain to dress and meticulously apply her makeup. I raised my eyebrows in response. "Don't tell anyone, okay? I don't want to second guess myself."

I nodded, and then added what I'd been thinking before, just to be safe. "I won't tell anyone. But I do need to ask you something."

"Anything you want." Blair said, a smile finally making its way onto her face.

"You're not doing this to mask any problems between you and James, right? Because you should know that doing this and taking the next step in your relationship won't be a Band-Aid for other stuff." Blair looked a little hesitant but then shook her head.

"Everything is fine, Alex. Don't worry." I nodded to her, and fell back onto my bed while she closed her curtains and got to work preparing for her date. My hair fanned around me, tickling the edge of my face and I brushed it away, looking up at the ceiling and wondering how so much had happened in such a short amount of time.

After a few moments of silence, I picked up my wand from the bedside table and grabbed the sweatshirt that lay at the bottom of my bed. Slipping it on over my t-shirt, I slipped my bare feet into my fuzzy slippers and made my way out of the dorm room with a 'see you in a few minutes!' to my friends. As I bounced down the stairs, I checked the common room to see if any of my elusive friends were there, but seeing no one, I made my way up the boy's stairs to the seventh year dorms.

A short knock and no answer later, I bounded into the room to spot the lump that was my boyfriend lying, still quietly asleep on his bed. There was no one else in the room, but the shower was on so I assumed someone was awake and it would be okay to wake Sirius up. Without telling me why, he made a rule that if no one else was awake, I was not to awaken him on the weekends. And seeing as I always woke up before he did, it seemed a very unfair rule to me.

I placed my wand on his bedside table and slid off my shoes before sliding under the covers next to him, pushing him over some to fit myself in snugly. He let out a small sigh, but accommodated me anyway by putting his arm over my waist and pressing his nose to my hair.

"It's too early, Alexa." He muttered, and I huffed, refusing to be moved from my spot.

"It is not too early, Sirius. In fact, I have been up and already dealt with two crises today in about an hour. You, my good friend, are the only one left in this dorm room that is asleep and if I recall our deal," Turning me over, Sirius cut me off by placing his lips on mine in a quick kiss. Quick because as soon as he kissed me, I pushed him off and pretended to gag. "Morning breath is not attractive on a man!" I giggled, and he lowered himself from his elbows to rest his full weight on me.

I wiggled against him, trying to remove him from on top of me, and got a surprise as I tried to squirm away. Sirius' eyes popped open, meeting mine while I laughed more fully. "I have a better idea than getting up and going into Hogsmeade today." He wiggled his eyebrows at me and I leaned up to give him a short kiss, much to his unhappiness, before rolling him off me and sitting up with my legs criss-crossed.

"If you're good then we can come back early from Hogsmeade; however, I have two very needy friends who require my services baby shopping and preparing for a date today, so I'm afraid that I'll need to be off now to get ready for a full day." I leaned down and rubbed our noses together, gaining a smile from his warm lips before I got up and put my shoes back on. "I shall see you in a half hour. Don't be late." He winked at me before swatting at my bottom, to which I dodged, grabbing my wand from the table and pretending to gesture it at him menacingly.

I was just stepping out of the door when the bathroom door opened. "Women, Prongs, I'm telling you. They've taken over our lives." Sirius sighed but sounded joking so I let it pass as I made my way back to my dorm to prepare for the day.

* * *

"There is no way that a baby could need anymore clothes than what we have bought for Little Lyla today. No possible way." I whispered to Sirius as Lyla and Remus held hands in front of us and let us towards yet another baby store. I hadn't realized before that there were so many places in Hogsmeade for a baby to shop, but there was apparently a market for it in the small town. I shivered to think about the people we'd seen today having sex in order to get the baby into the world, as some of them were more than slightly disfigured. Hogsmeade; the name alone should tell us of its villagers.

"I heard that!" Lyla called back, peering behind her to watch Sirius and I struggle to hold all the bags of baby things. "I can seriously carry some of those if you all are tired?"

Sirius and Remus both shook their heads vigorously in disagreement with her, not allowing her to lift a finger as she neared her due date. I, however, kept my discomfort to myself. "Of course not! You're already carrying around a baby all day. You shouldn't have to carry around bags too."

"Currying favor still?" I elbowed my boyfriend in the side and he rolled his eyes before knocking some of the bags he was carrying into me. I lost my balance for a minute, pin-wheeling my arms before righting myself.

Sirius' eyes were wide as he looked at my face. "Okay, that was a total accident. The fact that you are super clumsy is not my fault." He gestured towards me, giving me his sweetest smile. "Here, I'll take your bags for a moment."

"We are not going back early now. You'll just have to deal with yourself on your own." I gave a pointed look downwards, then straightened my back and started a brisk walk on ahead. Catching up to Lyla and Remus while Sirius sulked behind me, I allowed myself a small smile knowing that he would be cross for a few minutes, and then try and make up for it later on. If I knew anything, it was Sirius' plays for affection.

"You are so cruel to him sometimes. As his best friend, I feel like I should take up for him." Remus seemed to think about it for a moment, and then shrugged. "However, I can't really think of what to say so I'll just leave it at that."

"You're a true friend and comrade, do you know that, Moony?" Sirius said as we all stopped outside of another store. This one looked more subdued than some of the others, and it was a straight shot across the street from Honeydukes. I gave my three friends a pleading look, and Lyla gave me a nod that sent a wash of relief over me.

"Fine, but don't eat too much candy. We're meeting James and Blair at the Three Broomsticks later." Lyla said before shooing me off. My bags and I went rustling across the street, happiness on the other side of that wooden door. I took a deep breath as the door opened, and the smell of caramel and sweet, sweet sugar filtered onto the street. There was nothing better, in my highly regarded opinion, than the smell of crisp autumn air and sugar.

"Milady," Sirius said as he caught up with me and held the door open, leading me into the store. "I will buy you as much candy as you want, seeing as that's just the kind of boyfriend I am."

I gave him a little nudge, but couldn't keep the grin off my face as I saw the wall of different sugar rock candy on the wall. "You're just saying that so you can flirt with Rosmerta later and not get in trouble." I said, but regardless, I grabbed a bag and added a few scoops of the pastel deliciousness anyway. Then I leaned up and gave him a kiss on his jaw line, the only place I could reach without using his shoulders as leverage, so he knew that I did, in fact, still love him despite our teasing.

Sirius got a bag of his own candy, following my lead by getting a mix of chocolate and other delicious treats, and then we got in line for the long wait to the counter. "So what do you think about all this?"

I looked up, trying to gauge by his face what he meant, but he just looked slightly nervous and confused. "I don't quite get what you mean."

Taking a breath, he moved with the flow of the crowd, waiting until the noise died down some to answer me. "I guess I mean the baby stuff. Like, how does it all make you feel?"

"Happy, I guess. Lyla and Remus are getting to start their family and it'll be nice to have a niece that I can spoil rotten and then give back to Lyla at the end of the day. I don't really know though. I guess I hadn't really thought about it ever happening, and now that it is it feels a little overwhelming. And I can only imagine that it probably feels ten times more overwhelming for Lyla and Remus." I paused, looking up at him, feeling a little embarrassed but not knowing exactly why. Sirius met my eyes, his own gray irises capturing me in their gaze as they always did. "What do you think?"

"It's a little strange. I was really young when Regulus was born, so I don't really remember my mom bringing him home or anything. This'll be the first baby that I'll have really been around." I gave him a brief nod, staying quiet as he brought up his family for the first time in what seemed like forever. "At the same time though, it is really exciting to watch Remus take that first step and become a real man. It'll be nice to have someone else do it first and let us learn from how they do it."

My heart ticked a little faster as Sirius' cheeks got slightly red as he realized what he had just spoken out loud. I opened my mouth to say something, but it was our turn at the counter and as we sat our bags on the scale, I let myself reach down and wordlessly give Sirius' hand a squeeze. I saw the corners of his mouth turn up in a slight smile, and I let go of his hand to take my candy as he paid and we left the store.

"You know," I said as I dug around in my bag for the perfect piece of rock candy, "It wouldn't be too bad for Remus and Lyla to make a few mistakes so that when the time comes, we will know what to do perfectly." I bit my lip, pretending to be completely interested in the bag in my hands.

"Of course, our kids will be pretty much the coolest as soon as they pop out, so I'm not really worried we'll make mistakes." He laughed, transferring all of his bags to his left hand so that he could wrap his right arm around my shoulders. I put my head against him, feeling a ridiculous smile on my lips. I had never really thought about having kids before, or more particularly having kids with Sirius, but as I thought about it, it made sense that this is where the relationship would go.

We loved each other; we didn't want to break up; I was pretty sure I wanted to spend my life with him. So it seemed pretty clear that marrying him and having his children was the way to go. I was silently congratulating myself on my maturity level, when Remus and Lyla stepped out of the store carrying two bags and looking lovingly into each other's eyes.

"Wow, we're all just a big bucket of love today, aren't we?" The sarcastic comment came from behind us, and I turned around to see both Blair and James. Blair, the commentator, stood with her arms crossed, her hair slightly mussed, and an angered look in her eyes; while James stood at her side, slightly worried looking and his shirt buttoned wrong. He kept raising his hand to hold Blair's and then seemingly thinking better of it.

"Broomstick's?" He questioned, his voice squeaking slightly, and I turned to look at Sirius, who was looking at Remus, a concerned glance being shared between the two friends.

"Sure," Lyla said, dragging the word out in a questioning manner. She got no other response as Blair turned and stomped down the street towards the cozy looking inn, James following in her wake. Remus and Sirius walked together, heads bowed in quick conversation, leaving Lyla and I to bring up the rear.

"So I maybe should have mentioned earlier that Blair planned on having it off with James today." Lyla cringed at my terminology and then gave me a concerned look. "She told me not to say anything!"

"To Sirius, maybe, but not to me! She told me that the other day, but I didn't figure she'd go through with it!" We both turned to look at our friends as Blair continued to not give James the time of day. "I'm assuming that didn't go very well."

"Maybe we should buy popcorn?" I suggested, knowing that this could very well go south in a moment's notice. "C'mon. Let's go help these lovers figure it out." Lyla and I set off towards our friends, and I shook my head thinking how quickly things could go from extremely good to horribly wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	13. Rule 13: Enraged Girlfriends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seeing as I was moving slower than normal, it was a struggle to catch up with Blair. When we were within earshot of her, Alexa yelled out to her. “Blair, please stop for a second,” she begged. “Lyla is going to have this baby right here on the street if we try to keep up with you, and I for one am not prepared to bring a life into this world.” Blair stopped her forward progress.

_Rule 143: Never enrage a Marauder's girlfriend to the point that she reveals said Marauder's deepest, darkest secrets._

_Lyla's Point of View_

* * *

Blair's every movement was heavy with frustration and anger as she made a beeline for a table in the back corner of the Three Broomsticks. James gave us all a desperate look and shook his head as he followed Remus, Sirius, and Peter to order drinks. Not really sure what we were about to step into, Alexa and I headed over to where Blair had taken up residence. I cautiously took a seat at the table, seeing as Blair looked as if she could blow at any moment.

Alexa gave me a quick concerned look as we both silently watched Blair aggressively prod the table with a butter knife that had been left behind. Dealing with Blair's emotions could be quite precarious, especially as of late. It was like walking in a minefield, where nearly every topic of conversation was almost a guaranteed trigger. Alexa looked at me once more and then nodded toward Blair. The confused look on my face prompted Alexa to nod with more fervor, first toward me and then toward Blair.

In typical fashion, Alexa was abdicating the broaching of the subject to me, but I wasn't about to take the lead on this one. I shook my head in response and made a face to let her know that she could do the honors. Naturally, she didn't bite and gave me the patented Alexa eye roll. 'Not me, you,' she mouthed to me, while covertly pointing to me. As we continued to go back and forth, making faces and nodding seriously, Blair abruptly slammed the knife down on the table. "Oh, would you two stop it already!" she chastised us.

A few awkward silent moments later, the boys arrived at the table, and the tension seemed to increase two-fold as James slid into the seat next to Blair. With Blair momentarily distracted, Alexa slid the knife from the table and handed it to me. "She looks fit for murder," Alexa whispered to me, "and I will not be an accessory to murder." Normally I would chalk a statement like that up to Alexa being overly dramatic, but she was absolutely right, Blair did not look happy with James at the moment and I would feel much better if all sharp objects were out of her reach.

"Well, Rosmerta said that she'd have the drinks right over," Sirius informed us. Alexa and I nodded as the silence surrounded us once again. Not one to handle silence well, he continued. "Hey, did you hear about that third year Ravenclaw girl who accidentally gave herself a tail during charms? Apparently several professors have tried to get rid of it, and they can't seem get it sorted. So, she's just walking around with a tail, can you imagine?"

Alexa's brow was furrowed as she looked up at Sirius. It wasn't the most orthodox topic of conversation, and I was almost for sure that there was not a single shred of truth in his story, but the tension did seem to ease a bit as we became distracted. "You are so full of shit," Alexa called him out. "There is no earthly way that some girl is walking around the halls with a giant tail and we haven't seen or heard about it until now."

"I'm with Alexa on this one," James added. "As Head Boy, I feel like I would be privy to this kind of information if it were true. I mean a student with a possible permanent tail is kind of a big deal."

"Also, how has no teacher been able to reverse the spell?" I questioned. "Our professors are some of the most accomplished witches and wizards alive, and you're trying to tell me that they can't figure out how to undo a spell cast by a third year?"

Sirius threw his hands up in surrender as we bombarded him with questions. "All I know is that I've had a look, and the poor girl has a tail. And if she could have it removed I think she would. No one in their right mind would want a tail, especially a third year girl. That's such a delicate age."

"You are simply ridiculous," Alexa assured him as Rosmerta approached the table and saved us from hearing anymore about the story from Sirius. He just shrugged his shoulders and placed a quick kiss on Alexa's cheek.

Rosmerta greeted us with a smile and sat the drinks on the table. "How are my favorite gentlemen?" she asked, giving all the Marauders a wink. "And their lovely ladies?" We all responded in kind and distributed the drinks amongst ourselves.

"Looking beautiful as ever, Rosie," Sirius responded, raising his glass to Rosmerta and taking a swig of his butterbeer.

Alexa tried to stifle her laughter as Rosmerta blushed and giggled slightly at the attention she was receiving. People could say what they want about the Marauders, but those boys never run short on flattery. She stood up a bit straighter and patted at her hair. "Well, thank you dear," she said. "Now, these drinks are on me, and I will not hear a word about it. You lot keep me young, and Merlin knows that's worth more than a few drinks."

"You can't be a day over twenty," James said. I noticed a slight eye roll from Blair as Rosmerta began to giggle again.

"See what I mean!" she exclaimed. "You boys are just too sweet." She gave James's shoulder a squeeze in thanks for his kind comments. "I've got to be getting back to the other patrons, but you just let me know if there is _anything_ I can do for you all." She gave us a wave as she sauntered back to the bar with a noticeable pep in her step.

James raised his glass to the other Marauders. "Good work boys," he praised. "There's only one thing that's better than a nice cold butterbeer, and that's a nice cold free butterbeer. Lily keeps telling me that flattery will only get me so far, but I'd say we're doing just fine, eh boys?"

Oh no. James, why? This was one of those situations that you felt you should probably start diffusing whatever was about to explode, but I felt it was too late seeing as Blair was fuming over her drink and clutching the glass with such force that her knuckles were white.

"You're disgusting," Blair said harshly under her breath. When no one said anything, she looked up from the table and turned her body toward James. "You are unbelievable!" she said a little louder. In a flash of movement, James was covered in Blair's butterbeer and she was making her way for the door.

Alexa and I quickly got up from the table and took off after Blair, leaving the boys to tend to James. We loved James to pieces, he was a great friend, but even he understood that our first priority was Blair. She was obviously going through something and we needed to get to the bottom of it.

Seeing as I was moving slower than normal, it was a struggle to catch up with Blair. When we were within earshot of her, Alexa yelled out to her. "Blair, please stop for a second," she begged. "Lyla is going to have this baby right here on the street if we try to keep up with you, and I for one am not prepared to bring a life into this world." Blair stopped her forward progress, but she didn't stop moving. As we made our way to where she was, she began to pace back and forth, muttering to herself.

I took a few moments to catch my breath and slow my pounding heart. Lugging around another human being was starting to really take a toll on my body. "Blair, where are you going?"

"I'm going to go find a real man," she informed us. "I've been wasting my time with that… that child, and I'm done!" I grabbed Blair's hand to stop her pacing and to calm her down. I led her and Alexa over to a bench tucked away in an alcove between two of the shops.

"B, we're worried about you," I told her honestly. "We know there is something going on with you and between you and James. You can't keep holding everything in and pretending there's not a problem. Please talk to us, and we'll do anything we can to help you. We just can't see you like this anymore."

She let out a sigh as she leaned over and buried her face in her hands. "It's so exhausting trying to make it work, and I'm so tired," she said quietly. "We haven't been the same for a while, and I thought maybe if we could really connect with each other we could get back to where we were when we first started dating, but that embarrassingly backfired on me." She paused for a moment and then looked to Alexa and I, "If I tell you, you have to promise not to laugh."

We both nodded our heads in agreement and urged her to continue. She shook her head as she tried to work out how to say what was on her mind. "Okay, I'm just going to come out with it, because the faster I say it, the quicker I can go ahead and die of embarrassment." Alexa gave me a look and then turned back to Blair. "I surprised James this morning by telling him I was ready to have sex, and when we went to do the deed, he … couldn't." She quickly covered her face and let out a groan.

"Um, sorry," I spoke up, "but what exactly do you me by he couldn't?"

"Lyla," Blair whined, "you're going to make me say it aren't you?" I nodded my head apologetically. I had very little interest in the intimate details of my friends' sex lives, but I wasn't totally following what had gone on. "He couldn't get it up," she said flatly. "He said he was just nervous, but I'm not sure if that's totally the problem." Blair looked to us to say something, but I literally could not think of a single thing to say. "Please tell me that this has happened to you guys."

Alexa made a grimacing face that truly looked like she was in pain from this conversation. "Sure it's happened before, but it's really only happened when Sirius was drunk off his ass," she confessed.

"Well, that doesn't make me feel better at all," Blair, lamented. "So, I'll admit that I lost it back there. I just couldn't take it anymore. Naturally, I was a bit put out by the whole ordeal, I mean, my own boyfriend doesn't want to sleep with me. Then he started flirting with Rosmerta, and then he brought up Lily. And I really like Lily, I do, I just can't get past the fact that he used to be into her."

I can honestly say that this was not how I saw this day going. Here we were sitting on a bench in Hogsmeade talking about the impotence of one of our dear friends. Not your typical day. "So, I can't really help you with what happened earlier with James, but I do know that going to some seedy pub to flirt with a bunch of random guys is not going to make you feel better," I told her. "Alexa bought an obscene amount of candy, and I bought an obscene amount of baby clothes, so I say we go back to the castle, lock ourselves away where no one can find us, eat our weight in candy, gush over how damn cute the clothes are, and maybe try and figure some stuff out." I stood up from the bench, hung my bags from my arm, and extended my hands to Alexa and Blair. "Who's with me?"

Alexa was the first to grab my proffered hand and she stood up beside me. As Blair hesitated, Alexa began to beckon her with a dance. Moments passed and the dance got even more ridiculous. "Come on, B," Alexa said. "I'll keep this up until you agree to come with us. I have an unlimited amount of sweet dance moves, and Lyla has an unlimited amount of patience. Just surrender now so we can start eating all my delicious candy." Blair finally cracked a smile and took my other hand. Alexa let out loud cheer and then led the way back up to the castle.

We decided to take up residence in the Room of Requirements, and it didn't take us much time to put a serious dent in Alexa's candy. Much of the conversation was dominated by talk of the baby. Any time we tried to get more out of Blair about her and James and what had happened earlier, she would promptly change the subject saying she just wasn't quite ready to talk about it.

Situated on a ridiculously comfortable couch the room had provided for us, I was far too comfortable and my mind began to be overcome with sleep. I tried to stifle a yawn, but it was so big that I had no other choice but to let it run its course. Blair laughed at me slightly. "Lyls, why don't you just head up to the dormitory for some rest. I don't need you guys to babysit me, I'm not going to jump off the deep end," she assured us.

I waved her concern off and attempted to shake the tiredness from my body. "Nonsense, Blair, I want to be here for you," I told her. "No matter how tired or sleep deprived I'll be pretty soon, I will always be here for you guys."

"While I appreciate the sentiment, I'm fine, I think I just need some time to myself. I just need to really think things over," she said. "You guys have been great today, but I really just need to be alone. So, you two get on out of here and get some rest." She nodded toward the door and gave us a half-hearted smile.

Alexa gave Blair a skeptical look, but eventually she just surrendered to Blair's wishes. "Well, my dear sister, let's get you to bed," Alexa said to me as she offered to pull me up from my seat on the low couch. With our combined efforts, I was able to pull myself up rather easily and I was grateful for the help. Before we turned to leave, Alexa gave Blair a hug. "If we can help in any way, please let us know; we just want you to be happy. And I think you should talk to James about all this."

Blair nodded her head and gave my hand a squeeze. "I will, I just need to collect my thoughts first," she confirmed. "Now, you two get out of here, that baby needs some rest." I gave Blair a smile as my hand instinctively went to rest on my expanding belly.

We left Blair and made our way back to the dormitories where we found the boys all congregated in mine and Remus's dorm. As soon as we entered the room, James looked up from his spot hopefully, but his expression turned sad again when he realized Blair wasn't with us. "Is she okay?" James asked. "I just need to know that she's okay."

"She just needs some space and some time," I answered as I made my way over to where Remus was sitting. "She's calmed down considerably since this afternoon, but she said she just has a lot to think about. We couldn't really get much else out of her."

"So, she didn't tell you guys anything else?" James prodded. Alexa gave me a look and it was pretty clear that James was trying to get a feel for how much we knew about what had happened between them earlier that morning.

Not wanting to embarrass James, Alexa said, "Nope, that was it. She was very closed lip about the whole thing. We're pretty much in the dark." There was a slight look of relief on James's face at the news. There was just no sense in kicking the poor boy while he was down.

As the conversation took off in various directions, my eyes once again became heavy with sleep. At some point I had succumbed to my tiredness and drifted off. I was only pulled from my dreams by the soft whispers and nudges of Alexa. "Lyla," she said quietly. I opened my eyes to find her kneeling down beside the couch I had fallen asleep on. I looked up to find Remus also asleep with my head in his lap. I turned back to Alexa who had a worried look on her face. "I don't know where Blair is," she said in a hushed panic.

"Is she not in your dorm?" I questioned, still trying to wake up my mind.

"No, her bed is still made and it's clear that she never came back after we left her," she told me. "I looked on the map too, and I can't find her anywhere."

I slowly sat up, taking care not to wake Remus up. He stirred slightly but remained asleep. "She has to be in the Room of Requirements still," I said. "We should probably go check on her to make sure she's okay."

"Already ahead of you," Alexa said, pulling the invisibility cloak out from behind her back. "James is so easy to persuade when he's half asleep," she laughed. I smiled as I imagined James in his stupor, who would probably assume it, had all been a dream. With the cloak and map in hand, we headed off in search of Blair.

"So, you're sure you didn't see her on the map anywhere?" I asked, as we got closer to the Room of Requirements. Alexa nodded her head. "Well, then that's where she has to be." We stopped dead in our tracks just as we were about to round the corner when we heard voices. Pressing ourselves against the wall, Alexa quickly unfolded the map and found our location. On the map there were two sets of footprints right around the corner from us, one belonged to Blair and the other belonged to Matt Carrington.

We exchanged a confused look and then peered around the corner. Sure enough, we found Blair and Matt standing outside of where we had been with Blair earlier. Unfortunately, we couldn't really make out what they were saying to each other, but we really didn't have to hear to know that there was something going on. "He's the one I saw Blair with before when we were playing hide-and-seek," Alexa pointed out.

Matt and Blair embraced, and they held each other closely. Blair rested her head on his chest as he rubbed her back soothingly. A few moments passed and they finally released on another and started to head down the corridor in different directions. As Blair headed our way, Alexa hurriedly folded the map and stuck it back in her pocket. "Shit, we've got to go," she whispered as we began to move. "Move as fast as your little pregnant legs will take you, I need to be in my bed before she gets back so she doesn't get suspicious."

"Don't you think we should just tell her that we went looking for her and that we saw her?" I questioned. I just feared that if we kept this from her and then she found out later she would be even more mad and think that we were spying on her or something.

"In time," Alexa said simply. "I know better that anyone the dangers of making a mountain out of a molehill, so I think we should try to get some more intel before we go confronting her about anything." I nodded my head in agreement as we continued to make our way back to Gryffindor Tower.

* * *

The rest of the weekend came and went, and Alexa and I successfully kept what we saw happen between Matt and Blair to ourselves. Blair was also able to successfully avoid James. She told us she knew she would have to see him eventually, but even then, just because she had to see him didn't mean she had to talk to him. She was apparently still trying to figure things out.

So, as we made our way to Defense Against the Dark Arts, Blair was noticeably absent, and James was noticeably sad. Alexa and I tried to assure him that she would come around sooner or later, but the longer Blair shut him out, the more restless he became. "Is Blair ever going to talk to him?" Remus asked, taking my hand in his.

I laced our fingers together and shrugged my shoulders. "I sure hope so," I replied. "To be honest, and I would never tell James this, but I'm not sure it's going to work out this time. They've been through rough patches before, but I always knew they'd get back together. This time it's different, Blair really seemed like she was ready to just wash her hands of the whole thing." Remus didn't seem to be surprised by what I said. "What do you hear from James? How does he feel about all this?"

"You know how he is," Remus started, "he hates it when people are mad at him. The silence from her is killing him. I have the same feeling though, I hope they can work it out, but they seem to have been drifting apart for a while now."

"I suppose we'll just have to wait and see," I said. "I'm just going to try and stay out of it." Remus raised his eyebrows skeptically and I gently elbowed him in the stomach. "I have enough on my plate right now as it is, they are the last thing that I need to be worrying about." He raised up his hands in surrender, and we made our way into the classroom.

Today we had Defense with the Ravenclaws and it appeared that it was not going to be an ordinary class. All the desks were pushed out of the way against the wall, and the center of the classroom was totally clear as we all made an informal circle around the classroom. As we waited for Professor Graham to arrive, I noticed a familiar face out of the corner of my eye. Coming into the classroom with a group of Ravenclaws was Blair. I gave Alexa a nudge and tried to subtly nod over in Blair's direction.

Alexa looked over to where Blair was standing and when they made eye contact she gave Blair a questioning look. Blair just gave us a smile and shook her head. Alexa promptly pulled me away from guys a little bit and whispered hurriedly. "What the hell is that all about?" she asked. "I know she pissed at James, but she can't just switch houses and ditch us. And I'm starting to think this Matt kid is a little weasel."

I placed my hands on Alexa's shoulders and tried to get her to calm down. "Easy there, let's not get ahead of ourselves," I instructed. "Blair is just trying to avoid James, she's not ditching us, and we know almost nothing about Matt, he could just be a very nice friend of Blair's. A friend that she's never mentioned to us." I realized that I wasn't really helping my case, but I had to admit that Alexa was right. There was something weird going on with Blair and that Matt kid.

James popped up from behind me causing me to jump a little. I clutched my chest and looked to James who had the most bewildered look on his face. "Hey, so, what is Blair doing over there with all those Ravenclaws?" James asked nervously.

I could see the gears in Alexa's mind start turning and a slight sense of panic spread across her face. Right as she went to say something I jumped in. "I think she mentioned something the other day about working with some Ravenclaws on a project for another class," I lied. James nodded his head, clearly not eased by that answer. Thankfully I was saved from having to answer any additional questions by the arrival of Professor Graham.

"Good morning, class," he began. "As you can see, we will be doing things a bit differently today. Now, you all have been in school for six years, and its time to really put what you've learned into practice. I want you all to get into groups of four, and over the coming weeks we are going to run through your repertoire of spells you have learned in this class. Some of the spells with be old hat for you, but some will be unfamiliar to you all, so I hope you did the readings for this week."

Remus and I gave each other a smile, while Alexa and Sirius both muttered, "Shit," under their breath. "In less than a year, you all will be going out into the world, some of you entering into more dangerous professions than others. Nevertheless, you all need to be prepared to defend yourself if need be. So, take a few moments to get into your groups and then we will start practicing the spells that will be covered today."

As the class broke out into groups, I couldn't help but sense that the tone of this class was very different than any other Defense class we've had. The sense of importance in Professor Graham's voice was far more serious than we've experienced. Alexa, Remus, Sirius, and I formed a group, and Alexa and I stood with the two boys across from us with some space between us. We were instructed to take turns practicing the various spells in pairs, and to really focus on speed, accuracy, and casting the spells nonverbally.

"Excuse me professor," one of the Ravenclaw students said. "You want us to practice on one another?"

Professor Graham nodded his head. "In the real world, you won't be faced with a mannequin that can't fight back," he responded. "You will be facing living, breathing, thinking people, and you need to learn how to read an opponent. Now, if you are worried about getting hurt, all I can say is that I hope you are good at defending yourself. You are all seventh years, the safety nets are gone."

"Damn," Alexa whispered to us. "This guy is a touch crazy and means business. I suddenly wish I had practiced more over the past six years." I smiled at her as we all congregated in our groups.

Alexa and Sirius decided that they would go against each other first. I personally thought that was a horrible idea, given they both had an intense competitive streak, but there was no changing their minds. They stood across from each other and stared across the space, slight smiles on both of their faces. After a few moments, Sirius moved to attack, and with ease Alexa disarmed him. His wand fell to the ground and Alexa looked to Remus and I with glee.

"Whoa!" she exclaimed. "Did you see that? That turned out better than I thought it would." Across from Alexa, Sirius looked down at his wand in disbelief. He picked it up and then looked to Alexa. She gave him a sheepish grin. "It's okay, babe, it was probably beginner's luck." Sirius gave her a nod and then came to stand beside me and Remus stepped up to challenge Alexa.

I gave a dejected looking Sirius a pat on his back as we both prepared to watch Alexa and Remus face off. Remus was the first to cast a spell, and Alexa once again stunned us. She blocked his spell and then immediately cast a counter spell that knocked Remus back a little. I couldn't have been more proud of Alexa; she really did pick up more than even she thought over all these years. "Well done, Miss Parker," Professor Graham said as he came over to our group. "Mr. Lupin, have another go, and this time Miss Parker will make the first move. It's always good to be on the defensive, Alexa, but sometimes it is necessary to go on the offensive, so you need to get more comfortable attacking first." Alexa nodded and then Professor Graham went to stand next to her. "Now, I want you to try this spell." He whispered something in her ear and Alexa's eyes widened.

"I'm not sure I can do that one, " she told him truthfully. "I'm not practiced enough to do it."

Professor Graham shook his head and put his hand on Alexa's shoulder. "Alexa, half the battle is believing in yourself," he told her. "You can do it, it may be rusty at first, but you can do it. Find your intention." He stepped away slightly as Alexa and Remus squared off yet again. Alexa rocked from foot to foot to try and find a comfortable stance. Before Remus even saw it coming, he was flipped up into the air and came crashing down a few feet back from where he had been standing. Professor Graham had a pleased look on his face. "Well done Miss Parker, well done." Alexa beamed as he wandered off to another group.

Remus picked himself up off the hard ground and I walked over to where he was. "Are you okay?" I asked him with a slight smile.

"Oh, I'm fine," he responded, brushing off his robes. "I'm just so proud of Alexa." I couldn't help but laugh a little. I gave his hand a squeeze as I took his place to go up against Alexa.

She gave me a smile and we gave each other a nod. "Sister versus sister," Sirius said in a dramatic voice. "A family torn apart. Who will prevail? Will it be Lyla, the skillful, book smart mom-to-be? Or will it be Alexa, the shockingly talented sister who spent more time pining after Sirius Black than paying attention in class?" Alexa gave him a stern look and he immediately became quiet.

"I don't know if I can do this, Lyls," Alexa told me. "I mean you're my sister, my flesh and blood. And you're pregnant. It just doesn't seem right." Before Alexa could continue I sent a spell her way that knocked the breath right out of her as she fell to the floor. After she caught her breath and returned upright, she just shook her head at me. "Well, I guess now we know you'd have no problem taking out your own family if it came down to it," she said bitterly.

As I laughed I went to her and pulled her into a hug that she resisted. "Oh, come on, Alex," I tried to reason with her. "You know I love you! No one's going to take it easy on me out there, so I don't want you guys to take it easy on me in here. You hesitated, and I took the open shot. I do love you though." She rolled her eyes and pulled herself out of my grasp.

We all went back and forth challenging one another, and it honestly felt so good to put what we had learned into practice. I began to notice that Professor Graham was singling out certain people and pushing them try harder and harder spells, which prompted a thought to wander across my mind. I grabbed Remus's arm as we watched Alexa and Sirius duel. He looked down at me expectantly. "I think he's testing us," I told Remus in a hushed tone.

"Well, yeah, that's his job, Lyls," Remus said matter-of-factly.

"No, not testing us for class," I clarified. "I think it's for the Order. Think about it, he keeps talking about us fighting in the real world, and he's really pushing some of us. Dumbledore probably asked him to test us to see who could make it in the Order."

Remus thought about it for a moment as he tried to put the pieces together. "I mean this is really the perfect way to train us," he admitted. "Do you think any of the other students know?"

"I'm sure there are others," I said. "We can't be the only ones Dumbledore has singled out."

Professor Graham once again appeared beside us. "Lyla, I'd like for you to step forward," he told me, motioning to where Alexa and Sirius were.

"Should I go up against Alexa or Sirius?" I questioned.

"I think I'll have a go at it," he responded. We all gave him a quizzical look as he took off his cloak and began to roll up his sleeves. "In fact, I want you all to go up against me. I think you need a challenge."

As I moved to step forward, Remus grabbed my arm. "Do you think this is a good idea?" he asked. "He's more powerful than any of us, Lyla."

I pulled my arm from his grasp. "I am not having this discussion with you again, Remus," I cautioned. "I know my own limits." I took my spot across from Professor Graham and waited for the duel to begin.

The first spell he sent my way took me by surprise. It was more forceful than I expected, but I did my best to block it. We went back and forth, attacking and defending. The adrenaline in my body began to run rampant, and I hadn't felt this free in a while. The magic I was born with coursed through ever fiber of my being and I had never felt this powerful. I could definitely see how people got addicted to that sense of power.

Professor Graham blocked my last spell and then stood upright, a pleased look on his face. "Very well done," he said. "Who's next? He continued to run us all through our paces for the rest of class. He dismissed us all, and applauded us for a job well done. As we all gathered our belongings to leave, he asked if I could stay behind for just a moment. The classroom emptied and Professor Graham came over to where I was waiting.

"As I'm sure you've gathered, Dumbledore has asked me to identify some students that would make good additions to the Order," he said. "He has already informed me of the membership of you and your friends, and he believes that you are quite suited for a special job." I grabbed at my bag nervously as Professor Graham continued. "As we gather students from the various houses, we need one student that can be the liaison between the Order and the students in all the houses. You seem to be well respected amongst your peers, and we'd like to offer that job to you. Now, I know you'll have quite an adjustment in a few months so if you feel you can't—,"

"I can do it," I jumped in, cutting him off. "If it becomes too much, I'll be the first to admit it, but I want the opportunity. I feel like I can do it."

"Very well then," he said with a smile. "I will let Dumbledore know. You're free to go." I gave him a nod and then took off to find where everyone else had scampered off.

* * *

A few nights later, we all congregated into our unofficial common room located in mine and Remus's dormitory. Alexa and I had even convinced Blair to join us. While she still wasn't exactly talking to James, she did miss being around everyone. However, she made it very clear that even though she'd be in the same room with James she still would very much be avoiding him.

We all jumped as James slammed the book he was reading close. "What a revelation," he said with child-like wonder in his eyes.

"What on earth are you reading James?" Alexa questioned. "You've been reading like crazy over the last few days, and I can't quite figure out which class it's for. Did I miss a huge reading assignment?"

James tossed the book to Alexa and then stood up from his spot. "Well, I was perusing the library, and I stumbled upon a large collection of books about pregnancy and babies," he informed us.

I looked up from the assignment I was working on and let out a laugh. "You read them all?" I asked. "I couldn't even get Remus to read one of those books."

"Now, I can't fault Moony for wanting to steer clear of those books, there is some pretty scary stuff in those," he said, defending his friend. "There is a lot of technical talk in all of these, so I've done my best to sort this all out for myself. I've pretty much gathered that there is a pretty high chance that you're baby could have a tail. Sorry, mate." He gave Remus and apologetic look, and I couldn't help but shake my head.

"But never fear my friends," he continued. "My further reading revealed to me that muggles often use a breathing technique during birth, which I can only assume helps to keep your baby from having a tail when it comes out."

Alexa tossed the book back to James. "I can almost guarantee that you are 100% wrong about that," she told him.

"You're just going to have to trust me on this one, Alex," he responded, totally unfazed by the doubt. "And Lyla, you're in luck. I read the section on this Lamaze breathing, and I am prepared to teach you."

My hands went to my stomach as James looked at me excitedly. "Oh, James, I really appreciate all the research and time you put into this, but I don't think that's necessary," I told him. "I wouldn't want to take up any of your time. You're so busy with all your other duties and such."

"Nonsense!" he exclaimed. "I will not take no for an answer. Now, everyone pair up and I will walk everyone through it."

Sirius tossed his papers onto the floor. "Prongs, mate, do you really think it's necessary for all of us to do this?"

"As the godfather of this child, I feel it is important that we all join in this journey with Lyla and Remus, so, yes, I do really think we all need to do this," he responded. "Now pair up."

Remus came over to where I had been sitting, Alexa and Sirius paired up, and Blair reluctantly went to sit next to Peter. I could tell that she wasn't happy about it, but I think she knew it was easier to just go along with the madness. "Now, everyone onto the floor, and guys sit behind the girls." Remus sat behind me and I leaned against him, resting my arms on his bent knees.

"From what I gathered, " James said, "The guys are really there just for support, and contribute almost nothing to this whole process." I looked up at Remus and gave him a smile and he placed a kiss on my cheek. "For you ladies, they say it's good to have a focal point. Either pick something in the room or come up with an image in your mind that you can totally focus on. Once you have your image, start breathing deep and slow, paying close attention to the air filling and leaving your lungs. In through the nose, out through the mouth."

I chose the pillow on the couch in front of me to be my focal point and began to breathe. As I continued to follow James's instructions, I noticed that my body was becoming increasingly relaxed. "Are you focused?" Remus whispered in my ear.

I smiled as I continued to breathe and stare at the pillow. James came over to us and stooped down to our level. "How you feeling, Lyls?" he asked with a satisfied grin. I gave him a thumbs up. "We are going to be all set and so prepared for the day that that little lady decides to make her appearance." He gave my shoulder a squeeze and then he went over to Sirius and Alexa.

As James's last words fully processed in my mind, I abandoned the breathing and turned to Remus. "James does know that he is going to be nowhere near the birth right?" I asked. Remus just shrugged his shoulders and laughed. I let out a sigh and leaned back against Remus. I felt the baby move inside me, and I like to think that she could sense all the people that had so much love for her in the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	14. Rule 59: Jumping to Conclusions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “He just gets it. He just gets me, and everything that is happening with James. Matt just went through a break up with his girlfriend, and he just understands what’s going on.” She got a look in her eye, talking about Matt and just thinking about him, and I felt a sinking in the pit of my stomach.

_Rule 59: Jumping to conclusions, and hastiness in the matter of relationships, should be avoided at all costs. In the event that it cannot be avoided, however, a swift end is the best end._

_Alexa's Point of View_

* * *

"You should cut your hair." The statement came out of my mouth before I could stop it, and Sirius turns from his studies to raise an eyebrow at me. His hair, that luscious thick dark mane that was all part of his dark and mysterious charm, was currently residing in a dirty mess at the top of his head in what he deemed an attractive hairstyle. "But honestly, when was the last time you washed it."

This time, my musings caught the attention of Lyla, who was quietly dozing in her chair. The last few weeks, my sister had taken to falling asleep at random intervals. I knew it was the pregnancy hormones and the fact that there was a baby growing inside her belly, but I was still jealous. What I wouldn't give to fall asleep whenever and wherever I wanted.

"I'm going to have to agree with Alex on this one, Sirius. When was the last time you washed your hair?" Lyla tempered her words with a vague smile, half-interested in knowing, half-not really wanting to know.

Sirius took a minute, pretending to count how long it had been, and then gave us both an exasperated look. "Neither of you know anything about a man's image. My hair is something that sets me apart from everyone else."

"And it makes you look like a girl, which let me tell you, is great for my image." I rubbed my nose on his sweater, breathing in his scent, before I reached up to poke his bun. "Besides, your hair is probably longer than mine at this point." I pulled my elbow-length, magically straightened hair into a ponytail and draped it over Sirius' shoulder. He shook me off, and I laughed, luxuriating in the way my clean hair falls over my back.

Pursing my lips, I tried to forget about the fact that my usually curly, slightly dirty hair has only been washed and beautiful for today, and that I probably shouldn't get on Sirius about his hair when I don't really take care of mine. Anyhow.

"When is Prongs getting here? I can't take this studying bit with you two any longer." Sirius closed his book, rubbing at his eyes, and checked the clock on the wall behind him. "Also," He said, turning back to look at us, "my hair is just starting to brush my shoulders. I'm perfectly in regulation with school rules."

"Is that why we got a detention then? I could have sworn it was for being out of regulation with the school rules." James' dulcet tones washed over us, his loud tone earning him a 'shh' from the other occupants of the library. "Oh, stuff it. What are all these people doing in the library on a Thursday night, anyway?"

"Studying?" I guessed, turning to Lyla for confirmation, but she was staring at something behind me that I couldn't be bothered turning around to look at. "Okay, but seriously, what did you all get in trouble for this time?"

Sirius sent me a wink, catching my accidental pun on his name, which I despised almost as much as I loved him. "That is for us to know, and for you to find out at the designated time." I looked to James for help, but he only grinned at me like the cat that got the canary.

"Shall we go, Pads? Sluggy will be counting on us being on time. So we should have arrived about 10 minutes ago." James checked his very studious looking Head Boy watch, and I rolled my eyes, trying to understand how my friend made it to the esteemed position. Dumbledore must have been chasing the dragon when he made his decision.

"I'm off, love. Remus will be by later to take the invalid to bed." Sirius swooped down, giving me a kiss on the lips before standing and gathering his books into his bag.

"Don't let her hear you say that." I told them, waving as they walked out, James gesturing wildly while Sirius wiped the tears of laughter from his cheeks. Unable to stop the smile from forming on my lips, I turned around to look back at my books, only to see that Lyla had disappeared.

Taking a cue from Sirius, I closed my book, standing from my chair and looking around the library to see if I saw my sister. She wasn't out in the open, so I took a quick peruse through the shelves, hoping to find her. The farther I got from the large open section with tables and the more used shelves, there were less and less people. I strained my ears for conversation of any kind, ready to turn back when I spotted my sisters dark green jumper that she insisted on wearing because the castle was 'an icy hell where warmth went to die.'

"Lyls? Why are you hiding in the," I leaned over to catch a better look of the shelving classification, "Contemporary Dwarf and Goblin History section?" Lyla waved behind her, telling me to quiet my voice, and I followed over to where she was, peering between the shelves to see Blair and Matt sitting in a pair of armchairs. It didn't seem too out of the ordinary, both with books open in their laps, but unlike Blair, Matt was using his study time to stare at the unknowing Blair.

"I can't believe it. She said she was going to bed after dinner. I should have known she'd use a blanket under the bed sheet decoy. She used to do that when she'd sneak out to see James." Lyla stood up straight, crossing her arms.

"I guess she's using it to see a different guy now." I bit my lip, trying to think of the best way this could go. Seeing the look on my sister's face, however, made me realize the best-case scenario was not going to be happening. Before I could pull her back and make her see reason, Lyla was bounding forward, popping out from behind the shelf very nonchalantly – if nonchalantly meant charging forward like a woman on a mission.

"Lyla! What are you doing here?" Blair seemed startled, and I figured it was time to come out of hiding so Lyla didn't have to take the snooping fall on her own. With a sigh, I walked out of my spot and around the shelves to where Lyla was standing with her hands on her hips, her pregnant belly showing only slightly under her extra big sweater. "Alexa?"

"Hey, Blair. Just so you know this was not my idea for once." I said to my best friend, sticking my hands into the pockets of my school skirt.

"Just what exactly are you doing here? You told us you were going to bed." Lyla's accusing tone was sharp, and before Blair could formulate a response, Matt was standing up, holding out his hand to Lyla.

"It was my fault. I'm Matt. Blair was just helping me study for a last minute quiz I have tomorrow." Lyla looked at his outstretched hands, the politeness in her winning out over her suspiciousness. She shook his hand, and then returned to her hands to the hips look.

"And why were you back here in the corner, hmm? Not enough spaces in the wide open where anyone could walk by, Blair?" I let out a sigh, glad that for once it wasn't me who chose to be the meddler. Sirius would be proud of the lengths I had come since last year.

Blair stood up, apologizing to Matt and telling him she would see him later, while she hauled Lyla around and started to walk her back to the main area of the library. A few third years were eyeing our abandoned table, but I shooed them away as we approached. Blair dropped her books to the table, and took a seat, glaring at Lyla who had delicately sat herself down as well.

"You have got to tell us what the heck is going on, Blair. Are you seeing Matt behind James' back?" I cut straight to the chase, unwilling to beat around the bush with this. It had been a week and a half since Blair and James had their blow up in Hogsmeade, and I needed to know which one of my friends I was going to need to console if it came down to it.

"Are you kidding me?" Blair gave me an outraged look, then crossed her arms over her chest and looked away for a minute. When she looked back, her face had softened some, but her eyes had not. "I'm not seeing Matt behind James' back. It's just that we've been having some problems lately, and I don't know how James would take the fact that I have a new friend."

"Just a new friend?" Lyla asked again, placing her elbows on the table in front of her. She looked tired, and I sent her a concerned look. She shook her head at me, brushing me off for the situation at hand.

"Just a friend." Blair said, tucking her hair behind her ears and sinking slightly in her chair. "Look, I know it's hard to understand. The boys have been parts of our lives for so long, even when we didn't want them there, and branching out to other friend groups hasn't really gone over well in the past. I just didn't want to rock the boat."

I looked at my friend, feeling for the first time that she was truly hiding something from us. "They're not crazy people, Blair. They know we can have other friends."

Blair shook her head, picking at her fingernails, a surefire sign that something else was definitely happening here. "You don't get it, and I don't expect you to. You and Sirius are happy." She turned to Lyla. "You and Remus are happy." Looking back down at her hands, she stilled her fingers. "James and I aren't happy."

"This is something more than just the Hogsmeade fight, isn't it?" Lyla asked, placing her hand on Blair's arm. Blair nodded, looking at Lyla and then to me.

"Things have been tough this year. I know part of that is because of my jealousy of Lily and James working so closely together, but I don't know, it just seems like James and I are drifting apart. I didn't know how to talk to you all about it; you're both in the middle of it because you're both of our friends." Blair shrugged as if that explained everything.

"But we've known you longer, Blair. You've always been our best friend. It's not like you're going to break up or anything. This is just a rough patch." I tried to reason, but Blair said nothing, just looking down at her lap again.

"You can always talk to us, B." Lyla said, and Blair shook her off, running her hands through her hair, frustration starting to show on her face.

She moved from picking at her nails to thumping her pointer finger on the desk. "You don't get it. Neither of you understand. I felt like I was repeating myself over and over. I didn't want to, and couldn't continue to berate you all with the same thing over and over again. It wasn't like you all could help anyway. When a couple drifts apart, they drift apart. That's just how it is."

I opened my mouth to tell Blair that I did understand, that I had experienced that with Sirius last year. That space could help her, but Lyla started talking instead. "Then what about Matt? Where does he fit into all this? If you couldn't talk to us, then what, you talked to him instead?" She looked at Blair for confirmation, and finally, finally she nodded her head to the affirmative.

"He just gets it. He just gets me, and everything that is happening with James. Matt just went through a break up with his girlfriend, and he just understands what's going on." She got a look in her eye, talking about Matt and just thinking about him, and I felt a sinking in the pit of my stomach.

Blair actually liked this guy. And not just as a friend.

I turned to Lyla, who I could tell recognized the look as well. "Blair, you have feelings for him." I tried to keep the sadness, the slight judgment out of my voice, but it sunk in despite my efforts.

She shook her head, tears starting to form in her eyes. "That's not true. It's not." She pushed her chair out, starting to gather her things, erratically trying to not meet our eyes. "It's not true. I love James; Matt is just a friend."

"Blair, it's okay. It'll be okay." Lyla said, starting to reach out for Blair, but she shrugged her off, pushing her chair out so quickly it fell over.

"Neither of you get it. Stop trying to help, okay? Everything is fine. I have it under control and I would appreciate it if you would both leave me alone." She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders to walk out. "Don't tell anyone. I love James. Okay?"

Lyla and I looked at each other, unsure of how to proceed, but we didn't need to worry.

"Bear?" James' voice came from behind us. Blair's eyes, frantic, turned to him, dread coming over her features before she could school them into a mask. "Are you okay?"

"God! Could everyone stop asking me that?" James watched, shocked, as she brushed past him and out the library doors. Sirius bent down, picking up Blair's knocked over chair, before placing James in it. He ran a hand through his messy hair, mussing it even more, as Sirius resumed his place next to me. We sat in silence for a few minutes, before being joined by Remus, who had been tutoring some of the first years in Charms.

"So I just passed a crazed looking Blair on my way in. Anyone want to explain what that was about?" Remus sat next to his wife, brushing her arm with his hand and giving her a concerned look.

"You know Blair! She just has to work things out on her own before she brings her problems to us." I could tell the lies coming out of my mouth were gibberish, but I was hoping that no one else could.

Lyla, picking up what I was putting down, continued my story. "I'm sure everything is going to be okay with her. You shouldn't worry, James, she was just saying how she couldn't wait to watch you all play Quidditch this weekend. So I'm sure everything is going to be just fine." Lyla reached over and squeezed James's hand, then pushed her chair back and began packing her books away. "Now, I don't know about all of you, but I'm starting to feel quite tired, so I'm going to head back to the dormitory now."

Remus, like the good husband that he was, stood and took Lyla's things for her, giving us a short wave before following her out of the library. James stood as well, rubbing a hand over his face before he looked at Sirius and I. "Thanks, guys. I've got to go do rounds now. Pads, stay up?" I could tell that James was still worried, and I didn't like it. It seemed unfair that Blair was putting them both through all this worry and pain, but I also didn't want them to break up. Being stuck in the middle was turning out to be just as horrible as the last time I meddled in someone's life.

James left the library then, heading to meet Lily in the entrance hall to begin their nightly stalking for rambunctious students, and I turned back to my books in front of me, ignoring my boyfriend's pointed look. "I know you're not reading, Alexa; your eyes aren't even moving."

"Maybe they're not moving because I'm trying to learn each word individually before putting them into the whole." I gave Sirius my 'smarty pants' look, but it was clear from the expression on his face that he wasn't buying it.

"Okay, first of all that's just plain stupid, and even I know that's not the way to study. Second of all, tell me what's going on between James and Blair because I know you know and I want to know too." Sirius folded his arms over his chest and leaned back in his seat, before blowing a strand of hair that had gotten into his eyes from his bun out of his face.

"First of all," I mimicked, trying to stall and think of an excuse, "I hate the fact that you're smart but I guess I also love it at the same time. Second of all, something may be happening but I can't say anything about it. Blair needs to tell James before I tell you."

"That's so not fair!" Sirius looked around as the table next to us made a loud shushing noise. Once they saw the outrage on Sirius' face, however, they turned away from us. "Look, Alex, this is my best friend we're talking about. If you know something that's going to hurt him than you need to tell me so I can warn him before he gets his heart broken."

"It involves my best friend too, Sirius. I can't just tell you what Blair is thinking because we're dating. That wouldn't be fair to Blair." I shut my book, then rubbed a hand across my forehead, trying to think about the best way to go about this. "I promise you, I want to tell you, but wasn't it you that told me that we should stay out of their business and let them figure it out?"

"I just don't want James to get hurt." Sirius muttered, looking away from me. I reached out and placed my hand on his cheek, turning him back towards me.

"I don't want him to get hurt either. But my hands are tied on this one. I have to keep my promise to Blair." Sirius nodded, and I leaned over, giving his a small, sweet kiss, before pulling back. "Let's go back to the common room. I'm over the library at this point."

"You know you will eventually need to really study, right?" Sirius asked, laughing at me as I made a horrified face.

"I know, but I've got this great tutor who is so good at motivating me to do well on exams." I winked at him, gathering my things into my bag and moving towards the exit. After we parted ways at the bottom of the girl's dormitory, with a lingering kiss, I made my way to my dorm, pushing the door open and expecting to find my best friend sitting on her bed, ready to chew me out for getting into her business.

Instead, I found it empty, Lily gone to do rounds and Blair nowhere to be seen. "Shit," I muttered under my breath, before dumping my things onto my bed and walking into the bathroom. With a sigh, I cranked the water on the shower, closing the door to the bathroom and hoping that Blair wasn't doing anything to jeopardize what she had with James. I wasn't meant to be meddling, but then again, maybe hoping didn't count.

* * *

"Alexa," The whisper shout that roused me from my first wave of sleep made the hair at the back of my neck stand on end. I took a deep breath, willing the person to go away, and thinking about how it hadn't even been a week since our last drama in the library. Earlier that night, I had told everyone not to bother me, especially Sirius, who was poking me in the middle back as I laid in silence. After a particularly hard Potions quiz, I thought that I at least deserved one night of good sleep.

Apparently not.

"What?" I said out loud, recognizing that, once again, I was supposedly the only girl that decided to sleep in the Gryffindor dorms. I had no idea where Blair and Lily had been lately, but I had decided to take it in stride, figuring that without roommates I could get first dibs on the shower and the fluffiest towels in the morning. Although, it also meant relying on myself to wake up in time for breakfast, let alone a shower.

"You have to come with me right now. It's bad." I found myself sitting up, turning to look at Sirius, who looked more strung out than I had seen him since the incident in fifth year.

"What?" I asked again, rubbing sleep from my eyes and reaching blindly for my wand on the bedside table, which I hastily pushed into my hair as a makeshift clip until I could find a ponytail holder. I climbed out of bed; my unclothed feet hitting the cold floor and making me wince in despair. Sirius was handing me a sweater, one I realized was his when the long gray sleeves fell past my wrists. I pushed my feet into my fur-lined slippers, and made sure the sweater covered my legging-ed butt.

We were already moving towards the door when Sirius started to speak. "It's Blair and James. I'm not sure what happened but I saw on the map that they were in one of the old classrooms in the East wing, and then I noticed a few more names on the map, and then Remus came upstairs and told me we were needed." I looked up at him, biting my lip and finally feeling awake again.

"I'm going to throw out a guess and say the other names were Lily and Matt." Sirius nodded, pulling me along out the door of the Common Room. I rubbed my eyes with my free hand, shaking my arm so the sleeve of the sweater would fall around my wrist. It was too quiet out in the corridor, and I longed to know the time. "Where are we going?" I asked, making sure I knew what I was walking into.

"The east wing, obviously." I pulled back some, causing Sirius to come to a stop. "What?" He asked, realizing I wasn't following his lead.

I put my hands up, trying to think of the right way to go about this. "Look, you know that I care for James, and that I care for Blair, and that I want them to be happy; but is this really the right time to step in the middle of it?"

"I'm not saying this to start a fight, Alex, but aren't you the one that's always ready to jump right into it?" Sirius looked at a loss, his long hair curling around his shoulders and falling slighting into his eyes. He was wearing a similar sweater to the one he had given me, and his baggy pants and slippers made him look adorably disheveled. It was horribly inappropriate at the time, but I couldn't help but check him out slightly.

But it was time to get back to the point. "I'll be the first to admit that I am not the model citizen when it comes to sticking my nose into other people's business, but in this instance I know that things are going to get messy, and an audience is probably not going to help matters at all." I crossed my arms then uncrossed them, feeling uncomfortable and jumpy.

"Trust me, I get that. But it's kind of already too late for there not to be an audience. Lyla and Remus were already on it before I figured out when was going on." Sirius ran a hand through his hair, then stepped closer to me, wrapping me in his arms and pulling me to his chest. "James is my best friend. I know that this the pot calling the kettle me, but I have to go."

I breathed in, nodding against his chest, then pulled back some, placing my hand on his cheek. "Okay. Let's go." We exchanged a small smile, and then continued on our journey. Since Sirius didn't have the map, we had to tread carefully. Knowing the Head Boy was one thing; Filch certainly wasn't going to give us a pass on being out of bed so late.

It was easy to tell what classroom our friends were in, because as we approached, the sound of voices became increasingly loud. I followed behind Sirius, watching as he carefully pushed open the door. The scene in front of us was different than how I thought it would be.

There were no bloodied fists or enraged curse throwing. Instead, the room was separated into three groups. James stood at the end of one old row of desks; Blair was situated, standing in a defensive position at the end of another; and Lyla, Remus, and Lily were near the door, staring as the couple threw remarks at each other. I didn't realize Matt was sitting in a desk behind Blair until I focused on why my friend was standing like she was protecting someone.

I met Lily's eye as I stepped closer to the group, Sirius walking to stand close to James incase he was needed to prevent anything from happening. "What happened?" I whispered trying to make sure my voice wasn't heard from anyone but Lily.

"James and I were patrolling, when there were voices from the end of the hallway. It sounded like Blair, but we weren't sure, because she said she was studying with Remus and Lyla in their dormitory, so James used that little mirror thing he won't tell me where he got, and asked Remus what was going on. When he realized that it was actually Blair and that no one had seen her since dinner, well, things got a little out of hand." She nodded towards where Blair and James were getting loud again, hurtling barbs at each other, words that I recognized as meant to cut, not just sting.

"I trusted you." James' voice rose as he said it, but I could tell he was holding back. Whether or not he knew he had an audience, I knew that James would never truly yell at Blair.

"Nothing happened. I told you that so many times. And if you really did trust me than you would believe that." Blair's cheeks were flushed, her jaw muscles ticking, but I could see the worry in her eyes.

"You don't have to do anything physical for it to be cheating, Blair. The emotional stuff? That's the worst part. You stopped telling me things in favor of telling him. You stopped coming to me." He pushed his hand through his hair, his hand lingering, like he wouldn't have to finish his thought if he didn't finish the motion. But he would, and he did. "It would've hurt less if you had just kissed him."

"You're overreacting." Blair said, but she didn't deny his accusations. And I realized that by not saying anything else, she was basically confirming the fact that Matt had somehow taken James' place as her confidant.

"You won't even deny it? I don't even deserve that much from you?" James' voice was incredulous, his mouth gaping slightly in confusion and distress. "How could you not tell me you felt like this? Even when we weren't together we have always been friends. I thought I meant more to you than this, but you've done nothing but treat me like dirt, and I think that I at least deserve more than that."

Blair let out a huff, rolling her eyes, and I caught Lyla's eye, knowing that whatever was about to come out of her mouth was not going to be good. "Blair, don't." I couldn't help myself, reaching out towards my friend, trying to stop her from saying something she wouldn't be able to take back.

"Why shouldn't I?" She questioned me. I didn't have a response, and instead of waiting, thinking it through, Blair pressed on. "Why shouldn't I say what we've all known all along? You think that you're so high and mighty, that I've been cheating on you? What do you call what you're doing with Lily every night then? Just friendship?" Blair shook her head, casting a side-glance at Lily, who looked more shocked than I'd ever seen her in my life. "You tell her more than you've told me in a long time. I've seen the way you look at her, the way she looks at you, so don't you dare stand there and tell me that I've been the one that's tearing this relationship apart."

Silence overtook the room, an eerie sort of silence, like the calm that settles right after a bad storm, or a particularly windy day where everything suddenly stops and it seems like the world has as well. My gaze was fixed on James, watching for anything on his face, realizing that while I had been giving Blair a hard time she had been seeing James do the same thing to her, that she had been doing to him.

"But I don't love her, Blair. It's always been you." Lily let out a slight breath at James' words. Turning slowly away, she silently crept out of the room, her bright green eyes glistening slightly. James' gazed stayed stuck on Blair, willing her to look up from the ground, to meet his eyes.

Except, when she did it was like something had changed in her, and I guess, over the course of the last few months, she had changed. "I can't," She said, and her façade cracked, the stoniness she was trying to exude falling away, revealing the emotion on her face. "I don't love you anymore."

James opened his mouth to speak, floundering, unsure of what to say. But Blair turned away, following Lily out of the room. Matt, sensing that now wasn't the time to stay in a room full of people who wanted him gone, followed after Blair. When the door shut, James turned away from us. It was quiet once more, and as Sirius went to comfort his friend, James spun back around to face us. His eyes were slightly red, but he wasn't visibly crying.

"Did you know?" The question was directed at all of us, but I knew that he was really asking his two best friends.

"They didn't know, James." Lyla said, walking over to him, reaching for his arm. He moved away from her, looking between Lyla and I, his face betraying the way he felt. I watched as hurt filtered into his eyes, and I felt sick.

"James, you have to understand, it wasn't our place to get involved. It was Blair's place to tell you what was going on. We couldn't do anything about that." I winced at my own words, realizing that I sounded fake. "We're sorry." I tried again, but James only shook his head.

"I get it. You're Blair's friends, but I thought we were friends too." My heart caught in my throat, and I felt tears sting my eyes.

"James," Sirius said, but James shook him off.

"I want to be alone now." His tone was final, and Sirius sighed, gesturing for us to go. Remus and he stayed behind as Lyla and I walked out of the classroom.

"Well that was well and truly fucked." I said, unable to help myself. "What are we supposed to do now?"

Lyla sighed, placing her hands on her belly, and taking a moment to come to terms with all that had just happened. "We have to go find Blair." I nodded, knowing that this was the case, but unsure of what to say when we found her.

"Well and truly fucked," I muttered to myself as we began to walk back to the common room, leaving James in the capable hands of Sirius and Remus, and knowing that in the morning we would have some serious groveling to do.

* * *

"I literally cannot even fathom how this is happening. We are seriously going to lose the first match of the season, to fucking Ravenclaw no less?" I looked over, giving my sister a concerned look as the berating of the Gryffindor Quidditch team continued to stream from her mouth. "This is the worst that could happen at this moment, compounded with everything that is going on between James and Blair, I just cannot fathom this."

"Okay, you're repeating yourself, so that's definitely not good, but I think we need to focus on the good." Lyla gave me an 'are you joking' look, and I scrambled to think of something to say.

James, after discovering that there was nothing he could do to make up with Blair for the time being, had thrown himself completely into his Head Boy duties and the upcoming Quidditch match. Blair, recognizing that she couldn't be around any of us, had taken to ignoring and evading us at every step. I had finally broken down and used the map to find her, which had ended up with me just being disappointed.

I had semi-expected it, but seeing Blair's footsteps in the Ravenclaw tower had still felt like somewhat of a betrayal. After Lyla and I had searched high and low for her a week ago, and come up with no sign of where she had gone, we had tried our best to reason with Remus and Sirius, trying to make them understand that even though we had known what was going on, there was nothing that we could have done to get in-between this train wreck. While it was relatively easy to convince our other halves, James, on the other hand, had been more difficult.

Seeing him glance over to the Gryffindor stands, looking for the brunette who would usually be standing with Lyla and I, was especially hard.

"I'm trying to find something good about this situation but I'm literally coming up blank," I finally gave in; letting Lyla continue to rant to me, while Remus sat, rubbing her arm in consolation. If there was anything that Lyla loved about school more than the school work itself, it was Quidditch.

My attention was averted for a moment as James, seemingly in control of the quaffle seconds before, dropped the round leather object immediately, coming to a halt in mid air, his attention averted towards the Ravenclaw stands. As the stadium let out an offended roar, and Ravenclaw snatched the quaffle from the air and rocketed towards the other end of the pitch, I saw James rock back on his broom, before spinning around quickly and flying low towards the ground.

Sirius, seeing that his friend and captain was about to make a strange decision in the middle of a match, flew after him, signaling to Madame Hooch that the team needed a time out. She looked concerned before blowing her whistle, halting the play of the game. We all watched as the Gryffindor team, looking worse for the wear met James and Sirius at the entrance to the changing rooms.

The two best friends appeared to be having an argument, as Sirius waved his hands in the air, pointing at James, who stood motionless. Then, suddenly, as if he had been possessed, he ripped the large badge from his chest, thrust it at Sirius, and turned on his heel, walking into the changing rooms without looking back.

My eyes were wide as a gasp went through the air of the stadium, and Sirius looked down at his hand in concern. I could only imagine what was going on in my boyfriend's mind, but I could guess it sounded similar to the agonized words that Lyla was spouting from next to me.

"Sirius is going to go mad." I couldn't help cutting Lyla's tirade short as I watched Sirius from the stands. If I knew my boyfriend, and it was a pretty fair assessment that I did, he was going to be going crazy in his mind, but pulling a calm façade on the outside. I wanted nothing more than to run down to the pitch and put my arms around him, but I saw that he was squaring his shoulders, drawing on that pureblood background and rising to the challenge.

"He's really going to do this. He's going to try to play with only six players, in a game that he's already losing by 70." Remus sounded astonished, and I could tell that the majority of the people in the crowd were feeling the same way.

Lyla, on the other hand, seemed very proud of Sirius, who ignored the looks he was getting and the jeers that were coming from certain parts of the stadium, as he kicked off the ground and flew into the air, where he and the Ravenclaw captain met with Madame Hooch to talk about the changes that had just taken place. "I think he'll do great," Lyla said, putting a hand on her belly and sitting down. Remus sat next to her, giving her a questioning look, but she waved him off.

"If there's anyone that can do it, it's probably Sirius," I conceded, before pulling my fists inside my long jumper sleeves and crossing my fingers. My heart went out to him, praying that if we lost it was by no catastrophic number.

As I glanced back down to the field and the whistle blew for the play to start again, the announcer coming up with wild stories as to why the heroic Gryffindor team was playing with only six people, I noticed a lone figure walking back towards the castle.

I felt a wave of anger wash over me as I thought about the ridiculousness that was happening in my friend group at the moment. I knew that Blair and James had their reasons; a breakup was nothing if not difficult, but even more so when you were thrust into a group where your ex-boyfriend's friends were also your own, but it struck me that James and Blair were being selfish. I knew it was hypocritical of me to think – when Sirius and I broke up it was a mess of epic proportions – but I never avoided my friends for a week, and Sirius never abandoned a group of people that were relying on him.

The anger only grew as I caught a glance of a couple across from me in the Ravenclaw stands. I guess I hadn't been paying much attention; not noticing anything different from the rest of the crowd, until I noticed a flash of a big gold medallion that I knew Blair wore as a good luck charm to most Quidditch games.

"Lyla," My voice was slightly hoarse as I pointed across the way with my finger. We had to wait until the mass of flying people rushed back towards the Ravenclaw hoops before the stands were visible again, but when it did, I knew that Lyla saw what I was talking about before I even had a chance to say it.

"That's Blair." She spoke as if she was in a daze, and then, with more vehemence. "And that's Matt. That's Blair and that's Matt and they're on the Ravenclaw side, cheering for Ravenclaw."

"I'm starting to get really sick of this breakup." Remus muttered, pushing a hand through his sandy blonde hair and shaking his head.

I was about to spout off, letting my anger get the best of me, when a gasp and a whoosh of air went through the stadium, seeming to take all the air with it. On the ground, Carrie and the other seeker stood, wrestling over what appeared to be a little golden ball with white wings. I held my breath as they were separated, Sirius carrying the younger seeker away from the Ravenclaw boy, who in his hands was holding the struggling snitch.

My stomach seemed to sink to my feet as I realized we had lost. We had played with six players because our captain stormed off the field, and we had lost. The look on Sirius' face, combined with the cheers of the Ravenclaw stands, and the booing of the Gryffindor fans was too much. And without further ado, Lyla, Remus, and I filed out of the stadium.

"I'm going to wait for Sirius," I said as we reached the bottom of the stairs, people walking past us, respectful for once of the pregnant woman we were walking with. The Hogwarts population, who despite the grumblers in the crowd, had actually been quite sweet to my very-pregnant older sister. It had pleasantly surprised me.

"Do you want us to wait with you?" Lyla asked, leaning into Remus and catching her breath.

"That's okay. You go get some rest, and we'll meet back in the Gryffindor common room to do some damage control later. I'll even make Sirius take me to the kitchen for snacks." She nodded her head, and then gave me a hug in support. I brushed my hand over her little belly, laughing as she swatted me away. "It'll be okay, right?"

"Definitely." She reassured me, before she and Remus turned and melted into the crowd that was starting their way back to the castle.

Night was beginning to fall on the grounds, and I was just starting to feel the bite of the cold when Sirius stepped out of the locker rooms, his hair still damp from his shower.

"Hey, Captain," I said in a low voice, and he turned towards me with a small smile. I reached up to put my hands on his cheeks, bringing him down for a quick kiss before I put my arms around his torso and pulled him in for a long hug. As he buried his nose in my curly hair, I felt him inhale and exhale a few times before his heart remained at a steady thump against my cheek. "I'm really proud of you," I muttered into his chest, letting the tension we had both felt about our friends release into our hug.

When he pulled back, Sirius tucked my hair behind my ear so that it was out of my face. "I could kill James for what he did to us today, but there's a part of me that's just worried about him." I nodded, understanding what he meant, and taking his hand so we could walk back up to the castle.

"We're going to have to sort this out. I knew I should've meddled before it got this far." My joke brought a rough, barking laugh out of Sirius, and the rest of the tension he was feeling melted away. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, leaning down to kiss my head, and I leaned into him.

"I'm starting to think that I agree with you." I nudged him with my hip, breaking free from his hold and running a little ahead of him, starting to laugh as he chased me down. When he finally caught me, we had made it to the alcove on the side of the school, the courtyard empty as people were surely at dinner. "What are we going to do now, my little plotter?" He teased me.

"That's for me to know and for you to dot dot dot." I couldn't help the laugh that came out of my mouth, and I allowed him to lean down and capture my smile against his, kissing me fully on the lips.

When we broke apart, he leaned his forehead against my own, taking a moment to relish in the silence. "Let's go inside and take care of things, and then later, we're going to spend time away from all the intensity, and be happy, for once, that it's not us that the drama is about."

"What has the world come to if we are the ones with the stable relationship?" I asked teasingly, and Sirius laughed again, opening the door for me to walk inside back to the craziness that was our life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	15. Rule 131: Catching a Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “That giant oversized bird is a pain." Alexa stated matter-of-factly. “It’s being difficult on purpose.” I nodded my head and calmed her back down as we both fell into a silence to think. What is mine but is used far more by other people than myself? We could figure this out. I mean, Ravenclaws are smart and all, but surely this could be too hard to figure.

_Rule 131: There will be times when you feel like you can't catch a break; times like these are when you must look to your fellow Marauder's and prepare for the battle with fellow pranksters at your side._

_Lyla's Point of View_

* * *

"James, we have apologized time and time again. What else can we do?" When my pleading was met with continued silence, I let out an exasperated sigh. Alexa knocked on the door to the bathroom that James had holed up in and pressed her ear to the door.

"We really are sorry, James," she reiterated, a sadness in her voice. "We wanted to tell you, but we really didn't even know the complete truth of what was going on; Blair wasn't telling us anything." Alexa pressed harder against the door in the hopes of hearing any sort of response.

To her surprise, the door flew open and a sullen looking James emerged, making a beeline for his four-poster bed. "I guess that makes two of us," he said angrily. He grabbed the towel lying on his bed and headed back to the bathroom. "Now, leave me the fuck alone." The door slammed behind him and I was filled with my own sense of rage.

I beat on the door with my fist with as much energy as I could muster. "James Potter! Come back out here so we can talk this out!" I shouted at the boy behind the door. I know my anger was really more directed toward myself than at James, but I had to yell at someone. My hand made stinging contact with the door one last time before Remus grabbed my hand to still it.

"Lyla," he cautioned. "You need to leave him be."

I pulled my hand away and shook my head. "No, you need to talk some sense into him. Both of you," I said nodding to Sirius as well. "He is one of our best friends, he's like a brother to us, and the godfather of our child. He needs to forgive us. I need him to forgive us." Remus reached out and gave my hand a squeeze. "Come on, Alexa, we have to go and try to get through to Blair." I headed for the door and Alexa followed after me

When we were down in the common room Alexa threw her arm around my shoulder. "He'll come around, Lyls," she tried to assure me. "Blair will come around too. They forget how persistent I can be. I will bother them until they have no other choice but to talk to us." I gave her a smile and we continued out into the fairly empty corridor. "Now, I checked the Maurader's Map before we left, and Blair is in the Ravenclaw common room, no doubt celebrating the win. Believe me, we shall address her traitorous deeds at another time. So, I say we just march over there and demand we get this all settled."

I gave her a nod and headed off in the direction of the Ravenclaw common room. Once we arrived before the statue of the raven that marked the entrance to the Ravenclaw sanctuary, we quickly realized that we were wildly unprepared for the mission that we had set forth on. "Password," the raven demanded of us.

"Well, shit," Alexa said.

"That is not the correct password," the raven responded.

Alexa rolled her eyes and turned back to the stone bird. "I know that's not the password," she remarked. "I obviously don't know the bloody password."

"If the password is not known, you are required to solve a riddle to prove your intellect is worthy of admittance," the keeper of the gate informed us. "To pass, you must answer this simple question: What is given to you that you rarely use yourself, but that which is used much more by others? Answer carefully, for you only receive two attempts."

My mind immediately started to pick apart what the raven was asking. Alexa looked at me in disbelief. "A riddle?!" she exclaimed. "This is ridiculous. And only two chances? You are a right git."

"That is incorrect," the raven told us. "You now have one final chance."

Before Alexa could deliver some choice words, I grabbed her and pulled her away from the entrance. "Alexa, calm down, if you say something else we're never going to get in," I told her. "We've just got to figure this out, calmly and quietly."

"That giant oversized bird is a pain in the ass," Alexa said matter-of-factly. "It's being an arse on purpose." I nodded my head and calmed her back down as we both fell into a silence to think. What is mine but is used far more by other people than myself? We could figure this out. I mean, Ravenclaws are smart and all, but surely this could be too hard to figure. "I'll just start screaming for Blair if it comes down to it," Alexa muttered quietly. "I will outsmart that overgrown avian, or my name isn't Alexa Noel Parker."

Even as Alexa continued to ramble on, the answer tore through her words and arrived at the forefront of my mind. "Alexa, what did you just say?" I asked, stopping her from continuing.

"That this was just one more reason to loathe all winged creatures?" she clarified. I shook my head, "No, before that." She thought for a moment, reviewing what she had said before and then spoke again, "That I would outsmart the bird, or my name isn't Alexa Noel Parker?"

I pointed to her excitedly and clapped her on the back. "That's it! Don't you see, that's it! That's the answer!" I told her.

Alexa's eyes narrowed and she cocked her head to the side. "Lyla, you know I don't see this magical revelation you've had," She informed me. "I'm going to need you to enlighten me."

I grabbed her once again and took her back to where the raven was permanently stationed. "We have an answer to your riddle," I informed the statue. The statue nodded and beckoned me to continue. "You asked what we were given that we used far less often than other people, and the answer is our name. We are given our names, but other people use our names more often than we use them." Alexa's eyes widened as the raven nodded and we both shared a victorious look. The statue shifted and the entryway to the common room was revealed. I started through the entry way but Alexa had a few more words for her new nemesis.

"No hard feelings there birdie," she said smugly as she walked backwards to follow me. "You just can't stump the Parker sisters, we're just too good." I rolled my eyes at my gloating sister and waved for her to come along.

We could hear the raucous celebration coming from the common room almost as soon as we entered the entryway. When the common room can into view our senses were assaulted with the colors of blue and bronze everywhere and the strong smell of fire whiskey among other assorted beverages.

Alexa and I tried to stay hidden close to the wall as we scanned for Blair, but we still attracted a number of questioning gazes and a couple of 'boos' that were not appreciated. Then again, we practically entered into the lion's den given the fact that Alexa and I were both glad in our Gryffindor colors.

Face after face passed by, and none of them belonged to Blair. "Lyls, I think we're going to have to venture into the crowd," she concluded. "Why don't you stay here and I'll go and find her."

Just as I nodded and Alexa was about to take off, a familiar face walked past us. He stopped after a few steps and then turned to look back at us. Matt looked at us as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Lyla, Alexa," he said, coming over to where we were standing. "How'd you guys get in here?"

Matt was holding two drinks, one in each hand, and we could tell that he had been having a fair amount of fun before we had shown up. "It really wasn't that hard to get in," Alexa said curtly. "You guys should probably look into that, for security reasons."

Picking up on Alexa's hostility, he nodded his head appreciatively. "Well, thanks for letting me know. I'll definitely check into it." Alexa just shrugged her shoulders and gave him a look that said she really didn't give a damn what he did or didn't do. "Can I get you guys anything? Lyla, we have plenty of non-alcoholic stuff if you're interested."

"Thanks, but we're not here to celebrate," I informed him. "We just need to talk to Blair. Would you mind pointing us in her direction?"

He nodded and shifted nervously where he was standing. "Why don't I just go and get her?" he suggested. Alexa gave him a very snarky thumbs up of approval.

"And tell her that we are not going to leave until she comes talk to us," Alexa added. "Tell her that I will ruin this party so quick, if that's what it takes. I can't hold my liquor, Matt, but I'll sure as hell drink up your alcohol like a fish and make one hell of a scene." She gave him a sickly sweet smile and he hurried off into the crowd in search of Blair.

Alexa and I shared a laugh as we watched him disappear. "Nice threat there at the end," I commended her. "I have to say, I'd actually be quite interested to see the scene you would make, might be good for a laugh." Alexa gave me a nudge.

"And what about him asking us if we'd like a drink?" she exclaimed. "Like we'd want to celebrate their team winning with all these fools! Unbelievable. You know, for a Ravenclaw he doesn't seem very smart." She wasn't wrong.

Moments later we saw Blair emerge from the throngs of people. She was clad in Ravenclaw colors, her cheeks were slightly flushed, and she already looked quite annoyed with us. "What are you guys doing here?" she questioned.

"Oh, I don't know, Blair, maybe we wanted to talk to our best friend who has been ignoring us. Maybe, we care about you and want to make sure you're okay," I responded. She looked away from me and let out a sigh.

"Blair, regardless of your questionable house loyalty right now, shit is in ruins. We just thought you'd care that James is destroyed and everything is so fucked," Alexa explained. "You dropped a bomb on all of us and then just disappeared. I'm sure you had your reasons, but help us to understand them. We need to figure out a way to fix this. Will you please just come with us so we can talk about this? Just us." Blair hesitated and wasn't taking the bait.

She looked back at the crowd of people, and I could see in her eyes that the last thing she wanted to do was come with us, and that really made my heart hurt. "Fine, we can talk, but whatever I decide after this, you guys have to promise to accept it," Blair negotiated. Alexa and I half-heartedly nodded our heads.

We all headed up to the Room of Requirements, figuring that would be a neutral place where we could talk and not be disturbed. When we entered the room there was a fireplace roaring with a large table in front of it. There were three comfortable looking chairs sitting around the table and a steaming pot of tea with three teacups on the table.

As we all sat around the table, Alexa poured out the tea and no one dared break the silence. Finally, Blair spoke softly. "What if I don't want to fix things," she said.

Alexa's gave her a confused look. "What do you mean you don't want to fix things?" she asked. "Look, I know you and James are going through a rough time right now, but you'll work it out. I mean, Sirius and I have broken up a number of times now, but we always find someway to put things back together again."

I watched Blair's face carefully, and I could see the sadness in her eyes and the tears start to form. She truly meant what she was saying. She absolutely had no intention of going back to the way things were. "James and I aren't like you and Sirius," she told Alexa. "Even when you guys broke up, you knew that you still loved each other, you both were just too stubborn to admit it. I don't love James anymore. I've been lying to myself for a while now. Telling myself that we were just in a bit of a rut, going through a rough patch together, but we weren't. We weren't going through anything together. We haven't been an 'us' for a long time. I know it's not Lily's fault, and I know James won't admit it right now, but I think he will eventually see that he's in love with Lily."

She quickly wiped at her eyes and then took a sip of her tea. I reached out my hand to her and she slowly placed her hand in mine. "I know you can't go back to how things were, but I think we can all move forward together as something new," I tried to convince her. "Just because you and James won't be dating doesn't mean that we can't all still be friends. I know that may not happen right away, but we can at least take some steps to getting back to being friends. We miss you and we want you in our lives."

"I've missed you guys too, it's just been too painful to be around James," she said quietly. "How's he doing? Is he really upset?"

"You saw him today," Alexa said, not letting Blair off too easy. "He left in the middle of the game and abandoned the team. Do you think he would do that if he was okay? Not to mention the fact that he won't have anything to do with us because he thinks we kept all this from him."

Blair gave us an apologetic look. "I never meant for him to take it out on you guys," she assured us.

Alexa's shifted in her seat as she prepared to unload some truth onto Blair. "Who else was he going to take this out on, B? You haven't been around for him to be mad at," she countered. Alexa and I both knew we were being harsh, but we had a lot of pent up emotions, and she honestly needed to hear the truth about what the consequences were to her actions. Blair looked down at her lap with a slight sense of shame. Alexa's face softened and she leaned in. "You need to talk to him. You need to just say something so you both can start to heal. I'll be honest, it probably won't go over super well with James, but you at least owe him the decency of recognizing his hurt."

I could tell that Blair was really struggling with what Alexa had said. Blair was never one to confront her problems head on; she avoided confrontation at all costs. I mean, she once apologized to us for something we did to her just so we could keep the peace. But, I think in her heart she knew she had to talk to James and that it was the right thing to do.

"I will talk to him soon, I promise," she finally conceded. "But, I have to do it in my own time and I want to wait for the perfect moment. This isn't something I can just casually toss out after class." Alexa and I both nodded in agreement. She could do it in her own time, as long as she arrived at that time in the very near future. Blair let out a sigh the conveyed both relief and nervousness and then looked back up at Alexa and I. "So, what happened to James during the game? Why did he leave?"

"I expect it has something to do with the fact that he saw you surrounded by a bunch of Ravenclaws cheering against him and your own house," I told her honestly. "And to be frank, we were all a bit miffed about that."

Blair started to roll her eyes, but stopped mid roll because she thought better of it. "Look, Matt is really helping me through all this," she explained. Under her breath I could hear Alexa mutter something along the lines of 'I bet he is.' I gave her a quick glare and then focused back on Blair.

"We understand that you have to deal with this in your own way," Alexa started, "But you have to look at this from James's point of view. He doesn't look at it as you working through the intricate details of your feelings, he sees it as you dumping him and immediately jumping into another guy's arms. All I'm saying is that you should maybe consider toning down the public displays of Ravenclaw affection."

And with that, we were all in agreement. Blair would talk to James and we could all start to travel down the road of friendship redemption.

* * *

There was that feeling again. My hand automatically went to my ever-growing stomach as I waited for the strange sensation to pass. I had been getting this feeling off and on for a couple days now, but it always resolved itself so I wasn't too worried about it. After it passed, I focused back on what Alexa was saying to Sirius and I.

"I don't understand why Blair is still avoiding James," she said, cautiously peeking back at James, Remus and Peter walking behind us. "She promised that she would talk to him, but I hardly ever see them in the same room. How does she expect to chat and make up if they aren't even in the same place?"

I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head. It had been a few days since we had had our sit down with Blair, and it was becoming increasingly more clear that Blair never had any intention of patching things up with James; just an empty promise to get us off her back.

Sirius threw his arm around Alexa and leaned in slightly. "I've been giving much thought to this current predicament, and I feel like I've come up with really the only viable solution," he informed us. Alexa signaled him to continue. "What is the one thing that brings everyone together?" I gave Alexa a concerned look, and when neither of us answered, Sirius filled the silence. "Babies!"

"Sirius, under no circumstances are you bringing my unborn child into this mess," I cautioned him.

"Now, you haven't even heard my plan," he pointed out. Not that that would put me at ease. "And besides, it'll be like her first prank; bringing her into the Marauder tradition." Alexa removed Sirius's arm from her shoulders, clearly sending the message to me that she had no part in this. "Look, during this next class we'll all be together and it will be the perfect opportunity to bring our two dear ones together."

Knowing that this was going nowhere good, Alexa bravely inquired about Sirius's plan. "And what exactly are you proposing we do?" she questioned.

A mischievous smile came over his face and there was a glint in his eye. "The only thing stronger right now than their hate for each other is their love and concern for you and Little Lupin in there," he explained. I grimaced at the nickname, but Sirius didn't pay any attention. "It's all very simple. During class you pretend to go into labor, they'll both run to your aid, they'll realize they are both being petty and ridiculous, and we will all be friends once again."

Sirius waited for us to react, but our reaction wasn't the one he was looking for. "Sirius, I don't see this playing out like you envision it," Alexa told him. "Even if they do come to Lyla's help, that doesn't mean that they will magically just decide to patch things up."

"I also don't want to worry them," I added.

"Come on you two," he pleaded. "This is all we've got. Nothing else has worked, and I am sick and tired of everyone fighting. We need to settle this."

Alexa and I both looked at each other tried to communicate telepathically. I gave her a nod and then turned back to Sirius. "Fine, we'll do it," I conceded. "But I'm not going to pretend to go into labor in the middle of class, this information is going to be on an exam, and I'm not going to miss it. I will do it once class is over." Sirius nodded in agreement. "And you have to tell Remus what's going on. I don't want him to get freaked out by this."

Sirius assured me that everything would be taken care of, all I had to do was pretend to be in excruciating pain that only came with trying to push a small human being out of my body.

We all filed into the potions classroom and took our seats. I glanced over at Blair on the other side of the classroom as Slughorn prattled on. She seemed to be blissfully unaware of our existence. That strange cramping feeling appeared in my abdomen again, which caused me to shift uncomfortably in my seat. I must have made a face because Alexa gave me a concerned look. I waved her off and focused back on Slughorn.

That focus was shattered as the pain resurfaced, even more intense this time. I let out a painful breath and clutched my stomach. "Lyla," Alexa whispered, "Are you okay?" I could barely hear what she was saying as another wave of pain washed over me. A strangled sigh escaped my throat as I bent over to try and find some relief.

"Lyla, what are you doing?" Sirius leaned forward and asked. "I thought we were waiting until after class to do this." I reached with my free hand and grabbed Alexa's hand. I looked Alexa in the eyes and I could see the panic cover her face.

By now, everyone's eyes were on me, Blair included. Remus came around his desk and knelt in front of me. "Lyls, what's wrong?"

"It hurts," I managed to get out. I was starting to feel dizzy and very nauseous. "I need to get out of here." Remus stood up and helped me up from my seat.

As soon as I left my seat, supported by Remus, Alexa gasped. "Lyla, you're bleeding," she said as I looked back down at the dark red stain on the chair. "We need to take her to Madame Pomfrey." We started for the door, but I was slowly losing the feeling in my legs. I began to stumble, even with Remus's arm propping me up. I eased myself onto the floor, the pain continuing to intensify. I suddenly felt fear like I had never felt it before. I held onto my stomach with such fervor as I lay on the cold stone floor. My vision was blurry, but I could see the faces of all of my friends looking down on me. Blair's face joined the others and then I saw nothing but black.

* * *

_Remus's POV_

"Lyla! Wake up, Lyla" Alexa shouted as she shook Lyla's shoulders. I looked back at the blood stained chair where she had been sitting and I was overcome by a sudden urge to vomit. Lyla's skin was pale and she had an eerie look about her that sent chills down my spine.

Tears were making their way down Alexa's face as she looked to me. "Remus, we have to do something," she pleaded. I heard her words, but my mind couldn't process any of it. I just kept staring down at Lyla's still body. Fear had paralyzed me in that moment.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and when I looked up, it belonged to Sirius. He was crouching down beside me and was slipping his arms under Lyla. "Remus, don't worry mate, we're going to get her some help. She'll be okay," he attempted to assure me, but I knew he didn't totally believe what he was saying. "James, you and Blair take care of Remus and meet us in the Hospital Wing. Peter, you run ahead and tell Madame Pomfrey what's going on; Alexa and I will be right behind you." With Lyla's limp body in his arms he looked at me once again before he and Alexa took off.

I managed to get up off the floor and Blair immediately grabbed my hand in hers. As much as I needed her in that moment, I could tell that she equally needed me, so we held onto each other for dear life. "Mate," James said, breaking through my fog. "You've got to snap out of this, Lyla needs you." I nodded my head as I felt a million emotions bubble to the surface as the shock faded. Within seconds, the three of us took off in a sprint toward the Hospital Wing.

When we got to the Hospital Wing, there was a flurry of movement around Lyla. Sirius, Alexa and Peter were standing a good distance away, and the look on their faces told me that there was no good news. As I stood there watching Madame Pomfrey checking over Lyla who was still unconscious, the most terrifying thought crossed my mind. "I don't know what I'll do without her," I confessed softly. Blair let out a sob and buried her face into James's chest as he wrapped her arms around her.

Alexa came and wrapped herself around me. "I don't know what I'll do either," she told me. "We can't lose her." Those words floated around my mind and I watched the scene before me. I couldn't lose Lyla, but it was completely out of my control. There was nothing I could do to save her or the baby.

Madame Pomfrey came over to where we were standing, and she had the saddest look on her face. "Mr. Lupin, I'm afraid the help Mrs. Lupin needs is beyond what I can give her," she told me. "I've contacted St. Mungo's and we've arranged for her to be moved there." She then looked past me, and when I turned I saw Professor Dumbledore standing by the doors. "Headmaster, with your permission, Mr. Lupin can travel with her."

Dumbledore moved toward us and he put his hand on my shoulder. "By all means, Poppy," he agreed. "Do whatever is necessary." He squeezed my shoulder and Madame Pomfrey went back to where Lyla was lying. "My dear boy, there are no words that can soothe your aching heart or banish the fear that lies just below the surface. You have survived many hardships in your life, and you, too, shall survive this."

"Professor," Alexa spoke up, "May I have permission to go with them? I can't leave my sister." After a few moments of silence, Dumbledore nodded his head. Watching Madame Pomfrey prepare Lyla to be transferred, I couldn't help but wonder what Lyla would say to me in a moment like this. She would probably say something about how this was just a new path that the universe had set before us. That's what she said after she got pregnant. That path was terrifying at first, but I was becoming more comfortable with that path. I was totally unprepared to walk anymore of life's paths without Lyla by my side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	16. Rule 196: Marauders and the Company We Keep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Lyla’s in her recovery room. She’s awake if we want to go see her, but Doctor Mullen said it would be best if it were just Remus and one other person at this time. We don’t want to overwhelm her.” Remus stood quickly, passing a hand through his hair and straightening his shirt.

_Rule 196: If anything should happen to the spouse or significant other of a fellow marauder, they must be taken care of for the foreseeable future of the Marauders, whether they want it or not._

_Alexa's Point of View_

* * *

St. Mungo's was a flurry of activity. I watched as witches and wizards in their scrubs jostled around the hospital bed where my sister currently lay, spouting jargon I would never understand, all the while passing worried glances at Remus who sat in the only chair reserved for visitors in the medical bay Lyla was currently placed in.

I stood in the middle of the walkway, my arms wrapped tight around myself as the world blurred around me. I knew that I was in the way; more than once I had been unceremoniously pushed to the side as more Doctors rushed past, but I couldn't bring myself to move. My world was falling apart.

On the bed no less than five feet away was my best friend. My sister, who I didn't know if I could live without, was very obviously in distress. Inside of her womb, my niece fought for life. My brother-in-law was in shock. I couldn't focus on anything but all the words I wanted to tell my sister and couldn't.

If she didn't wake up, how would I ever apologize for the time I cut her favorite doll's hair off because Lyla wouldn't let me play with her? Would I ever get to apologize for calling her haircut silly when she cut her own bangs? How would I tell her that I loved her and that I needed her to get through life? It all seemed silly now, but in my mind it made a difference. These apologies, these words were suddenly important, life or death situations.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and then felt myself being steered out of the room and into a chair in the waiting area. My legs felt heavy as I fell into the chair, the nurse who had taken my arm holding out a cup of tea towards me. I shook my head, running my hands over my face as I bent over and leaned my elbows against my knees, the heels of my hands pressing into my eyes, stemming the tears that were threatening, now more than ever, to escape.

The room was quiet, save for the occasional shuffle of steps, or the beeping of a machine from the other room, and I clenched my jaw, straining my ears for noise from Lyla's room. I heard footsteps rush past, then double back, before I heard my name being called by a very familiar voice.

"Alexa?" I lifted my head, meeting my Mother's bloodshot eyes as she came towards me, her arms outstretched. I stood from my chair, running into her arms and letting the tears finally fall from my eyes.

"I don't know what's happened. One minute she was fine and the next she was bleeding and on the floor, and we had to come here, and I just really want her to be okay." I was babbling through the tears, my voice hoarse and muffled against my mother's chest. I felt her own heart beating faster, her breath staggered as she cried, and hugged her tighter, unsure of what else to do.

My father muttered something about going to find a nurse, walking back towards the front desk to try and find out more information. As my mother and I sat back down in the chairs, she dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief, as I swiped my robe over my cheeks. I looked down at my black boots, realizing I was still in my uniform.

I reached over and took my mother's hand in my own, trying to keep it together and focus on anything else. Three pairs of footsteps could be heard making their way down the hall to the waiting room, and then muffled talking. We each looked up, our attention focused on the door, watching as my father ushered Remus through, and then Lyla's doctor. My mother jumped up, gathering Remus in her arms as he held on to her. She squeezed him tightly, and I could hear his muffled sobbing, my throat pinching in distress.

The look on the doctor's face was grim, but I tried to remain positive, hoping that despite the fact that Lyla and Remus' lives had been full of hardship, this one thing would be okay.

The doctor cleared his throat before he looked down at his chart. "Mr. and Mrs. Parker, Ms. Parker, Mr. Lupin. I'm Doctor Mullen," He addressed us all, the four of us standing together as a united front. I took Remus' hand in my own, giving it a squeeze, needing him as an anchor to my sister and my niece; knowing he would need me too. "Right now, Mrs. Lupin is in a medically induced coma. It appears that the stress the baby has caused on Mrs. Lupin's body has become too much. From scans we can see that the baby was turned in a slightly awkward position which caused the umbilical cord to become wrapped around its neck; causing a loss of oxygen."

Remus grabbed my hand tighter. The news was bad; of all the things that could be happening in this very moment, this news was some of the worst. I held on to Remus, looking at my mother and father, begging, pleading, and hoping with my heart that something could be done.

"What happens now?" My mother said, her voice composed despite the tears spilling down her cheeks.

The doctor avoided looking at us as he continued, his face flushing minutely. "Mrs. Lupin has lost a large amount of blood due to what we call a third-trimester miscarriage. The baby is putting her body under large amounts of stress, causing her to miscarry. At this point, we will need to surgically remove the baby in order to stop the bleeding and reduce the bodily stress on Mrs. Lupin. She will wake up a short while afterward, and will need to stay in the hospital to recover, but she should be medically fine."

I felt the gasp leave my throat before I had a chance to stop it. "So the baby?" I felt the words coming out, my head feeling light headed as I looked up at Remus. His face had gone pale, his eyes blank as his lips seemed to thin.

"Unfortunately we were unable to save the baby as it had suffered a loss of oxygen and the pregnancy was no longer viable." The doctor took a deep breath and let out a measured sigh. "I'm so very sorry about this. It's not common to see a woman lose her baby in the third trimester, but it does happen. I understand if you need time to process this information. We will be prepping Mrs. Lupin for the surgery shortly, but if you'd like to go in and sit with her, you may."

"Thank you." My father said, and the doctor left the room. We stood in silence, Remus letting go of my hand and sitting in the nearest seat.

"We're going to check on Lyla." My mother said, pulling my into another hug which I breathed into, letting go of her and finding myself alone in the room with a grieving father. Nothing I had done in my life had prepared me for this moment, and I went and took the seat next to Remus, reaching over to pull him into me, letting him cry into my shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Remus." I said, the tears making my voice shake and I held my brother-in-law. "I don't know why this happened, but I'm so sorry."

Remus' shoulders shook as he cried, his hands grasping onto my robes, and I felt my own tears falling over my cheeks, dripping against the collar of my shirt. I held Remus, not knowing what else to do, until his cries became quiet, and his breathing steadied somewhat. When he let go of me and lifted his head, his blue eyes were crystal clear, his cheeks ruddy from his tears.

"It'll be okay. I know it doesn't seem like it will be, but I promise that this will all be okay. Lyla needs you to be strong right now. She may not be awake but she still needs you." Remus nodded his head, giving my shoulder a squeeze before he got up and walked towards the door. His shoulders were slumped, his usually pristine posture defeated by grief. I felt my eyes sting with more tears.

Standing up, I pushed my hand through my knotted hair; taking my robe off and using it to wipe my face clean of the salt left from my tears. Then I wadded it up and threw it on the chair, hoping I would remember to get it later. I took a deep breath and followed Remus to Lyla's room.

Upon entering the room, I immediately burst back into tears. Lying on the bed, still and pale as a ghost, was Lyla. Her eyes were closed. Her hands lay at her side, a magical contraption helping to monitor her heart and blood pressure. She was dressed in a hospital gown, pale pink against her white skin. My eyes drifted to her belly, knowing that she'd never get to see her baby, and that she wouldn't get to say goodbye.

I went to the other side of the bed, taking one of my sister's hands in my own and holding it. We sat in a quiet grief for a while, before the nurse came in and started to unhook straps that were holding Lyla's bed in place. "I have to take her into surgery now." She said, very gently. We all looked towards Remus, who very slowly stood up and kissed Lyla's forehead, before reaching down and placing his hand on her stomach, on their baby, for the last time.

A short while later, a second nurse came and ushered us into a private waiting room on a different floor, telling us that we could wait here until Lyla was out of surgery and in her recovery room. The room had a kettle and some light snack, and my mother made a cup of tea for my father that sat untouched on the table in front of him. When he left later to inform Dumbledore the news, he took a drink, surprised by its coldness.

I eventually drifted into sleep, awaking to a darkened room a short while later. My mother was knitting in the chair opposite of me, Remus asleep on the couch where my father had sat. In surprise, I noticed three other familiar faces sitting at the table a short ways away. Blair noticed I was awake first, leaping out of her seat and coming to sit beside me. She wrapped me up in a hug, and I returned it eagerly, needing the familiarity and comfort of my best friend.

James and Sirius came over as well after Blair and I had finished our hug, James grabbing my hand and just holding it gently, unsure of what to do. I stood up to hold Sirius, and he wrapped his arms tightly around me, rubbing my back and kissing the top of my head. I let a few silent sobs wrack through my body, breathing in his familiar scent before I squeezed him tightly one last time. He kissed my forehead, and we went back to the table they had been sitting at before.

"So, you all know?" I asked, my voice scratchy and hoarse from crying. Blair nodded her head, tears in her eyes, as she spoke.

"Dumbledore told us about an hour ago, after your father came to see him. He gave us permission to leave." She twirled her ring around her finger before trying to covertly wipe her eyes. "I can't believe this is happening."

I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak. "Peter stayed behind to get notes and homework. I know it's not much but Lyla might want something to distract her when she wakes up." James said when I noticed we were missing a Marauder.

James and Sirius talked about random events happening at school while Blair and I peered over a magazine she had got at the gift shop. Eventually, Blair left to get more magazines and James went to make a cup of tea for my mother, leaving Sirius and I alone. I leaned into him, sighing, feeling my limbs sink into the couch we were sitting on. We had only been at the hospital for a short while, but it had felt like forever.

"How's Remus handling it?" Sirius asked, nodding his head over towards the sleeping boy. I bit my lip, trying not to think of how hard it was going to be for Remus; how hard it was going to be for Remus and Lyla both to know that they had lost a child before they had been given a chance to be parents.

"Not well. It's going to be hard." I said, swallowing convulsively to try and keep the tears at bay. "They don't deserve this; no one does, really, but they definitely don't deserve this."

"Hey," Sirius said, reaching up to wipe my tears away with his thumbs. He ran his hand over my cheek, and I leaned into his touch. "They're going to get through this. They're the strongest couple I know; plus, they have all of us. We're going to help them anyway we can, and they're going to get through it."

I nodded my head, and eventually leaned back into Sirius, letting my mind drift. James and my mother talked quietly together; Remus woke from his nap, and took to pacing the room while waiting for news of Lyla; Blair came back with a stack of magazines and some candy. Eventually, the door finally opened and I looked up as my father came walking through the door.

"Lyla's in her recovery room. She's awake if we want to go see her, but Doctor Mullen said it would be best if it were just Remus and one other person at this time. We don't want to overwhelm her." Remus stood quickly, passing a hand through his hair and straightening his shirt, while my mother got up from her seat, picking up my forgotten robe that she had been using as a blanket.

"We'll go in first. Then we can send for the rest of you when she's ready." My mother's voice left no room for discussion as she and Remus left the room. My father came and sat down, looking a little worse for the wear. I stood up and sat next to him, offering to make him a tea, but he shook his head at me.

"I think I may just close my eyes for a moment," He said, and I left him alone as he drifted off. I felt helpless, unsure of what to do when my father, the one who always knew what to do, was so downtrodden, but Blair, sensing my distress, waved me over, taking my mind off the current situation with magazines.

It seemed like hours when my mother returned, her eyes rimmed with dark circles from no sleep and distress, bloodshot where she had been crying. When she informed us that Lyla didn't want any visitors, my heart broke all over again, and I left the room to get some air. I had no idea what my sister was going through, and it pained me to not be there for her. I eventually found myself in the outside garden, looking up at the dark night sky, trying to find something to be happy about.

When I didn't find it, I walked back inside. I reached the room where everyone was waiting, each person inside lost in their own world, but I kept walking, down to the recovery room where I knew Lyla was. The door was silent as I crept inside.

I first saw Remus, asleep in the chair next to Lyla's bed, his hand in hers and his head on the mattress in front of him. When I looked over at my sister, I was startled to find her eyes open, staring right at me.

"I don't want any visitors." Her voice was hollow, and I nodded, before walking closer.

"I know that. But I'm your sister, and I know you need me." Lyla let out a sad, shaky laugh, her eyes watering but not spilling over. "I'm so sorry, Lyls." I said as I reached her bed, sitting on the mattress softly so not to disturb her or Remus.

Lyla looked down at her relatively flat, but still soft stomach, shaking her head in a pained way. "I don't know what happened. I don't know what I did wrong." She whispered, her voice sounding angry.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Lyls. Sometimes this sort of stuff happens and there's nothing you can do about it." I took her hand in my own, holding it between both of mine.

"You think I don't know that? My whole relationship with Remus has been based on shit happening that we can't do anything about. You think I wanted to become pregnant so young? To get married before I even finished school? For my husband to be a werewolf? This was the one good thing that truly happened and I still couldn't control it. I was looking forward to this baby and my life with Remus and went it all went to hell I didn't even get a say in how it went down." She pulled her hand from my own, using it to wipe the tears that were spilling out of her face. "So don't say I didn't do anything wrong because if I didn't then why did this happen, huh? Why am I being punished?"

"Lyla," I whispered, the tears falling from my own eyes. My sister shook her head, wiping angrily at her own tears.

"I don't want your pity. In fact, I don't want to see anyone right now. Just send everyone back to Hogwarts. I don't want any visitors." She turned away from me, her face silhouetted by the moonlight coming in through the window, and I sighed, getting up from the bed and walking towards the door.

"I'm so sorry, Lyla. If you want to talk to me, you know I'm always here. But for now, I'll leave you alone. Just please, please don't shut us out forever." She ignored me, and I pushed my way out of the hospital room, making the slow walk towards the waiting room, and hoping my sister would be all right.

* * *

Going back to class had been hard. Everyone was asking for answers to questions I couldn't comprehend, and by the end of the second week back, I was ready for the next controversial rumor in Hogwarts to take place. Lyla was still at St. Mungo's recovering in the after-care ward, Remus coming to and from, each day looking more and more tired. I knew that the full moon was coming up, and despite the fact that he said he would be fine, he didn't look it.

When Saturday came, I was more than happy to just relax in my dorm room, away from everyone and everything. Blair, who had been spending more time in the Gryffindor wing and less in the Ravenclaw, was sitting in her bed, reading over a letter by the time I awoke from a fitful slumber.

"Who's that from?" I questioned, stretching my legs out before me, leaning over to look at the clock on the wall beside me. I groaned when I realized it was only 9:30.

Blair pulled the letter away from her face, pushing her hair back with her free hand. "It's from Matt. He wants me to meet him near the Astronomy Tower later this afternoon. There's something he wants to talk to me about." I raised an eyebrow and Blair responded with a roll of her eyes. "I've already told you that there's nothing like that going on between us. He's just been a good friend to me while I've been going through stuff with James."

"Speaking of, have you all talked? I mean, it's been kind of cold lately, and Sirius and I have started to have a real lapse in things we can talk about to fill those awkward silences." I sat up in my bed, pulling my bathrobe from the end of my mattress and slipping it on, then sliding my feet into my slippers. "I'm just saying, things would go much smoother if you all worked things out before tomorrow. I highly doubt that Lyla is going to be in the mood to deal with this stuff when she gets back."

Blair nodded, putting her letter on the side of her dresser before she got up and started rummaging in her wardrobe. I slipped into the bathroom, starting the shower to get ready for the day, when a tapping came from the window. Turning to look, I saw my owl, Cleo, outside the window. I felt my eyebrows knit together in surprise. I never got letters.

"Thanks girl." I told Cleo as I opened the window, the cold November air slipping into my robe and causing me to shiver. Cleo hooted, flying off before I could pet her. She always had liked Lyla more. The letter, which seemed thick in comparison to those that I usually received from home, had a more official looking hand and stamp. Tamping down on my curiosity, I stuck it on the sink for a later time, and slipped off my pajamas and slipper to stand under the steam of the shower.

Half an hour later as I pulled my slightly still damp hair into a ponytail and slipped my feet into my boots, I headed down the stairs alone to meet Sirius and James in the common room.

"Merlin it's taken you long enough to get ready." James said as I rounded the corner into their eyesight. Sirius knocked James on the back of the head, and then stood up to take my hand as we walked towards the portrait hole. "What exactly are we doing today?"

"You are accompanying us on our date to Hogsmeade because you wouldn't leave us alone about it yesterday when you found out we were going. For some reason you couldn't just hang out with Peter and insisted on crashing our alone time." Sirius said, glaring over at James who shrugged his shoulder and walked faster to catch up with us.

"Well, you mentioned having holiday shopping to buy and I couldn't go alone. I'm single now, Sirius, the ladies will be buzzing like flies to get me on a date." James ruffled his hair, puffing his chest out and giving Sirius his most charming smile.

I couldn't help the laugh that snuck out from my lips. "Not to ruffle any feathers, James, but I haven't exactly seen the ladies you're talking about." I looked around, feigning interest, and James reached out to pull my ponytail, causing Sirius to slap his hand away.

"Oh, they're there. They're just keeping a safe distance so they don't look too eager." I gave him a knowing nod, going along with it for the sake of his ego. "Besides, if I came with you all today then I didn't have to talk about the upcoming holiday patrols with Lily. She's getting ridiculous since exams are coming up; wanted to spend the whole day in the library and discuss plans about what areas will be a 'hotbed of activity' once the mistletoe makes its appearance." James put his hands down, using air quotes and girly voice to talk about Lily, and I watched skeptically, what Blair saying about their relationship at the forefront of my mind.

"Well, let's just enjoy today, okay? And maybe think of something to get Lyla and Remus so that when they come back to school tomorrow they feel as much at home as they can." Sirius took my hand more solidly in his, and swung his arm around James as we walked out of the castle and joined the slew of students as we walked the brisk and snowy walk to Hogsmeade.

"I heard that she did it on purpose. Look how happy they are! They don't act like they're too sad about the whole thing." The whispered accusations of the people behind us startled me, and I realized that Lyla was going to be devastated if the students at Hogwarts were still talking about her.

My hands clenched, alerting Sirius to the fact that I was about to pop off. "Just ignore them, Alex. We have better things to do than address their rumors." I clenched my teeth, but did my best to pretend that the group of girls was not there.

James, on the other hand, did not appear to hear Sirius. "Excuse me." He said, whipping around, causing Sirius and I to stop and the girls behind us to stop short. "Is there something you'd like to say to us?" The girls stood, shocked, as James put on his most authoritarian voice. "In case you didn't know, I'm Head Boy, and the people you are so cruelly speaking about are my best friends. I don't know if you know this, but I hold a certain power at this school, and I won't hesitate for a second to find something to put you in detention for a long, long time if you continue to bad mouth my friends. Are we clear?"

They nodded, scurrying past us as James glared at them, watching them go. "So much for not letting your power go to your head, Prongs." Sirius said, and James shrugged his shoulders, looking much happier. I high-fived him behind Sirius' back, and we continued on our way to get our holiday shopping done.

"I'm nervous." Blair's voice echoed in the quiet room, as we all waited for Lyla and Remus to walk through the door to their common room. I nodded with Blair, feeling slightly anxious myself. I didn't know how Lyla was going to react to being back. Remus had told us that she hadn't wanted any visitors, and I hadn't seen her since the day she was admitted to the hospital. My parents had visited only twice, before they too were told she did not want to see them. Seeing as she was now 17 and married, they had no say in the matter.

Remus had tried to talk her out of it, but she threatened to expel him from visitation rights and he backed off. Since then, we had only heard of how she was doing from Remus when he came for class.

The door opened, and we all stood up, eagerly awaiting the sight of our best friends, and Remus made his way in, holding a bag of their things, while Lyla came in slowly behind him. I was shocked at how my sister looked. Her hair, messy and dirty, was in a topknot, bangs falling haphazardly into her face. Her eyes held dark circles underneath, dull and almost unseeing as she looked around. Her clothes were hanging off her, and I realized they were her maternity pants and shirt. She looked small and sad and I bit my tongue to stop the gasp that had formed.

"Hey Lyls," Sirius, the bravest of us, said as she got close enough. She looked at him, nodded, and then walked into her room, closing the door behind her. We stood in silence for a moment as Remus went in after her, sitting back down as he came back out.

"She's not doing too great," He said, running a hand over his face as he walked to the small kitchenette and poured himself a glass of water. "They asked us if we wanted the baby to have a funeral yesterday. It didn't go over well."

I felt my heart plummet to my stomach at the thought of Lyla having to hear that, having to know that it was really real and that she'd never get to experience her baby having a birthday before she'd experience her baby having a funeral. I grabbed Sirius hand, leaning my head against his shoulder as I let the grief wash over me. I couldn't imagine how Lyla felt, knowing that whatever sadness I was feeling, hers had to be worse.

"What did she say?" James ventured, looking towards the closed door.

"She didn't." Remus responded, finishing his glass and placing it on the coffee table. "I told the doctor to wait just a little longer. I don't want to take the opportunity away from her until she's ready."

We all nodded in response, then sat in an uncomfortable silence. There was no sound for a while, and I was about to suggest food when a loud thump came from the other room. We were all startled, looking at each other in question before another loud crash came. Remus stood up, jumping slightly when a crack followed the crash. He rushed towards the bedroom, but Lyla was nowhere to be found. Noticing light under the door to the nursery, I walked over, opening the door slowly as Remus came in through the door to the bedroom.

Sitting in the middle of the broken crib, the crashing and cracking explained by the splintered wood in the floor, Lyla was slowly crumbing the duvet between her fingers, crying as she cut at the cloth with a pair of small scissors. I held my hand up to my mouth as Blair came to a stop next to me, Remus rushing over to his wife to pry the scissors from her hand. The nursery lay in wreckage from where Lyla had destroyed it.

"It's okay, babe. It's alright." Remus said, sitting on the floor with his arm around Lyla as she doubled over and cried into her lap. He looked up at us, tears in his own eyes, and I felt Sirius put his arm around me, ushering me out of the room. Blair and James had already left, and Sirius and I followed into the corridor, where I allowed myself to finally cry.

We had known it was going to be hard, but it suddenly felt like this was going to be more like climbing a mountain instead of a hill.

* * *

_Sirius' Point of View_

"So at this point it's getting to be pretty stressful having to be the studious sister." I looked over as Alexa placed her quill roughly on the piece of parchment she had just finished. A streak of black ink marred the page and I spelled it away before she could notice and tear her hair out in frustration.

I took in my girlfriend's attire at that moment, admiring the fact that she was still beautiful even with how ruffled she looked at the moment. She was pulling out another piece of parchment and flipping to the starting page of the chapter we were writing on in potions, and I raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow at her in question.

"Didn't you just finish that essay?" I picked up the parchment she had finished, and began to glance over it. After knowing Alexa for almost seven full years, I was pretty impressed with how studious and precise this essay was. It was lacking her usual pizzazz and side comments, sprinkled throughout the actual information.

"Well, yeah, but that was Lyla's version of the essay. So now I've got to finish my version. Plus, I think I have my version of McGonagall's, so I've got to finish Lyla's version, and get ready for Astronomy tonight. It's just all starting to get a bit much." She pushed her tangled hair out of her face, picking up the left over hair band from the table and pulling her hair into one of those complicated looking up do's that the girls were always wearing.

I tried not to admire the long line of her neck in favor of commenting on the words she had just bestowed on me. "So you're going to do all of Lyla's homework for her then? Didn't she get a special pass considering her, you know, circumstances?" I tried to think of a delicate way to put it, but there wasn't really one. Since she had been back from St. Mungo's, Lyla had been spending the majority of her time in her private quarters, refusing to see anyone but Remus, and recovering.

Alexa shrugged her shoulders and began to write furiously. "You'd think that. But apparently our professors are cold-hearted bastards. They think that after two weeks of grieving for your unborn child is a substantial amount of time." She looked up at me, pausing her writing to use her pen as a gesturing tool. "Apparently, Professor Titwick doesn't understand that women have these 'types' of problems."

"Did you just call him Professor 'Titwick?'" James voice interrupted us as he swung into the chair across from Alexa, closest to the fire that was roaring away in the Common Room. The mid-November winter air had started to pulsate through the castle, making it almost unbearable to be somewhere without a fire.

"Keep your mouth shut, Head Boy. Or I'll make you do Lyla's Care of Magical Creatures 'hands on' work." Alexa threatened, but her threat held no water as James went on to talk about other things, basically ignoring her. I waited for Alexa to do something, but when she didn't, I reached over and knocked James' feet off the table. He raised an eyebrow in false astonishment, but relented to being rude and taking Lyla's charms essay from the table before opening the book and starting to get to work.

"Has anyone heard from Remus lately? The other day when I passed him in the hallway, he wasn't quick on conversation." James ruffled through a few pages, finding what he was looking for before looking up to see if we would answer his question.

"We're still meant to be meeting after Astronomy tonight, aren't we? To discuss his furry little problem?" I looked around to make sure no one was listening while Alexa rolled her eyes at us.

"I hope so, considering I'm not sure how Lyla is going to react to him being gone and recovering." James grabbed the extra book on the table, tossing it my way. I looked at the familiar binding and frowned. "I'm doing the charms essay! You get to work on the Magical Creatures; you actually have that class with her, remember?"

I looked over at Alexa for support, but she only grinned while continuing her essay, her writing getting larger and loopier as she ran out of things to say. "Don't look to me for help. I'm becoming too studious for my own liking," She said, looking up long enough to wink at me.

I tried to remain stoic, but I couldn't help but relent when she gave me a soft sigh. Opening the book, I tried to remember the essay that I had written last week that was sitting in my bag upstairs. What had I written? "You all are so lucky that I love you." I said, finally remembering the section on Billywigs.

Later that night, after Astronomy had finished and Alexa and Blair had been safely tucked into their dorms, Peter, James, and I set up the four chairs in our dormitory to face in a semi-circle, pulling an old trunk into the middle where the code sat in all its glory.

"We'll at least give him a few minutes before we start." James said, the unofficial leader of our meetings. Peter and I nodded in agreement, all three of us turning to watch the door in hopes that our fourth marauder would be able to come, and hoping that it meant good news for the couple if Remus felt comfortable leaving Lyla for the meeting.

As the seconds ticked by, I started to mess with the long strands of hair that had started to grow beyond my shoulders. Now, I knew that no matter how I grew my hair that I looked like a Casanova and the ladies would always be flocking to me (don't tell Alexa I said that), but they were starting to get on my nerves a bit. The whole washing and drying and styling routine was tedious, and I couldn't go without washing them without putting them up in a man-do, which was starting to give me headaches.

It was when I looked over at James' mop of hair that he kept running his hands through that I had an idea. "Gentlemen, I have an idea of what we can do while we wait for Remus to arrive." James and Peter looked at me in questions, and I smiled widely. "Prongsie, I want you to give me a haircut."

James' eyes lit up, his grin matching my own while Peter looked nervously between us. "Is that really a good idea?"

"Don't be such a nervous Nelly, Pete. I've cut Pads hair loads of time and it's never gone wrong before; besides, if it does go wrong we have this silly little thing called magic that we can use to fix it." James patted his hand on Peter's shoulder, sending the smaller boy toppling slightly before he righted himself. Peter's smile dimmed for a moment, and I looked at him curiously, before he shrugged it off.

As James began to rummage around in his trunk, I went and got a spare towel from the bathroom, and a brush. I grinned and raised an eyebrow at myself in the mirror before I turned and walked back into the dorm room. Little did anyone know, but James had been cutting my hair since my fourth year, when I first let my hair grow past my chin. My mother had been less than enthused at my choices, and when I came home that summer, she had been surprised to find me in tiptop hair shape. Thanks to one James Potter and his magical hairdressing skills.

It was one of the facts that only few of us knew about James, something we had even kept from the women in our lives. I settled back into my stool, draping the towel over my shoulders and handing James the brush when he returned with his tools.

"Just a trim, Pads, or are we doing the whole shebang?" I shrugged, before deciding that it was time for a change.

"Let's take it all off." I laughed at the language, and the door creaked open as James and I high-fived. Remus poked his head in, looking tired but with a small smile on his face.

"I was a little worried about what I would find in here after that last comment." Remus joked, shutting the door behind him and walking in to his place. I grinned, laughing when James rapped my shoulder and told me to sit up straight so he could 'do his best work.'

"How's Lyla?" I asked, and Remus let out a small sigh.

"It's not good, mate. It's really hard to get through to her. The other day I found her sitting in the old nursery with a bottle of firewhiskey. She doesn't want to do a whole lot. I told her that I wanted to do some sort of funeral or memorial for the baby and she told me to do whatever I wanted; she's just taking it really hard." He ran a hand through his hair, raking it back from his face. "I don't know what to do anymore. I love her so much; I just want to see her happy."

Peter reached out, and placed a hand on Mooney's shoulder. I bit my lip, trying to think of something to say to help.

"You know we'll always be there for the two of you, if there's anything we can do." I said, and Remus nodded. We fell into a short silence, the only sound the gentle clipping of James' scissors.

"I don't think I'll ever fully be able to comprehend the fact that I had a daughter; or that I was supposed to be a father." Remus said quietly. James cleared his throat from behind me, pausing in his work for a moment, and I knew my best friend was getting emotional.

"You'll get another chance, Reems. I know it's terribly cliché, but this stuff will only make you stronger in the end." James said, his voice slightly deeper as he tried to keep it in check.

"Or it'll kill me." Remus sighed, the reached over and plucked the Guide from the table. "I propose a new rule." This piqued my interest. Motioning for him to go forward, I reached up to check my hair, almost losing a finger as James violently shoved my hand back down. "I propose rule 196. 'If anything should happen to the spouse or significant other of a fellow marauder, they must be taken care of for the foreseeable future of the left Marauders, whether they want it or not.'"

He looked at us for approval, and we all agreed. Pulling out the pen that we always used for these situations, an old fountain pen with a massive crest on it that we had picked up from an antique muggle store, and began to write it down in the code. When he was finished, he signed his moon and paw, then passed it around to the rest of us.

"So, not to change the subject, but we need to talk about the full moon," James said, finishing with my hair, running the brush through it to get all the extra little hairs out. He pulled the towel off, and then spelled away the hair on the floor and cleaning up. I stretched my back, rolling my neck, no longer feeling the long strands touch my shoulders and neck.

"Shall we stay at Hogwarts until the full moon and then reconvene afterwards? Is the plan to still stay at the Parker's again?" I asked, picking up the mirror that was in my lap. "Prongsie, you've done it again," I said, admiring the new do and smiling to myself. When I was finished checking myself out, I put the mirror back on the table and smiled at my friends. "I won't apologize for admiring art."

"I won't be able to make it this Christmas. My grandmother is really sick again." Peter said, looking away from us. He fiddled with his hands in his lap, and I felt an inkling of something weird, almost like he was lying to us.

"That's alright, Pete! We understand. You got to take care of family, man." James said to our mutual friend, but something wasn't sitting right for me. It might seem selfish of me, but we needed all four of us there when Remus transformed, and I couldn't believe Peter couldn't take one night to help us out. I brushed it off, however, in favor of listening to Remus' plan.

"Since Lyla will want to go back to her parent's house, she said that she didn't want to go back to the apartment yet, because of the nursery that's there, I figured that we would let the girls go on without us, then we would follow behind a few days later after the full moon. That way we won't stress Lyla with any injuries and we'll be able to go right to the hospital wing for help." Remus looked at his watch, after we all agreed that this was the best plan, and then sat the guide back on the table. "I've got to get back and make sure Lyla is sleeping okay. I'll see you all tomorrow for class?"

"You got it, brother. And if there's anything we can do for you," I trailed off, letting him know that we were here for him no matter what.

"Thanks, Pads. I know." He slowly slipped off his chair, making his way back out of the dorm after exchanging a few extremely brotherly hugs.

We began to clean up the meeting supplies, getting ready for bed, and as I put the Guide back in James' trunk I thought about the last rule we had added, hoping that we'd never have to see it come true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	17. Rule 21: Liquid Problem Solving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I have a feeling it has something to do with me,” I told her. Remus was talking with Monica’s husband on the other side of the room, but he was watching me. “Did you know mom basically told everyone not to even say the word baby or any word related to babies?”

_Rule 21: Liquid Problem Solving_

_Lyla's Point of View_

* * *

As Alexa and Blair pulled our trunks out of the car, I stood at the beginning of the walkway up to the house and just stared at the structure that housed so many memories. Those happy memories seemed so distant as I looked at the familiar place, and it really didn't seem like home anymore; but nowhere really felt like that for me right now.

Seeing as I couldn't bear to go back to mine and Remus's flat and Alexa wouldn't let me stay at school for the holiday, this was kind of my only option. The thought of being around my family right now made my skin crawl. The last thing I needed was to see their faces with that constant look of pity and sadness. I had been getting that enough lately from my friends and everyone at school that knew what happened and I was nearing the end of my rope.

I heard the car trunk shut and my dad walked past me with my trunk, giving my shoulder a quick squeeze. After a deep breath, I followed after him toward the house. My mother was waiting inside when I walked through the door and she immediately pulled me into a hug. She held onto me with such desperation, but I couldn't muster the same enthusiasm.

I pulled out of her hold and headed for the stairs that led to mine and Alexa's room without uttering a word. I could see the hurt on my mother's face, but that was so insignificant to the pain I felt throughout my entire being. As I climbed the steps, I could hear Alexa saying something to my mother, probably apologizing for me. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately, which is another thing that was getting on my nerves. I shouldn't have to apologize for how I was feeling.

After throwing my bag into a corner of the room, I crawled onto the bed and wrapped my arms around myself. Alexa and Blair joined me a few moments later and joined me on the bed. "Lyls, dad said he'd put some tea on and make us something to eat," Alexa told me. "You haven't had much to eat today, maybe we should head down to grab something."

"You two can do what you want," I responded. "I'm not hungry." I could see Blair and Alexa exchange a look and I buried my head deeper into the pillow.

Moments passed by in silence, and then Blair finally was brave enough to breach the silence. "I for one am glad to have a bit of a break," she started. "After all those exams and papers my brain needs a proper rest."

"I know that's right," Alexa agreed. "I nearly didn't make it through. I stressed and stressed over that Potions exam and I'm not even sure I studied enough. Slughorn better be generous when grading, because I need to pass that exam."

I let out a sigh. "Who cares," I muttered.

"What?" Alexa asked. I could hear the slight annoyance in her voice.

"Who cares," I repeated. "Those test and papers are all pointless. You either studied enough and passed, or you failed and you need to get over it. Either way, who cares?"

I peered over at Alexa and I could see the anger on her face. I'm not sure why I spoke up. I knew part of me was just looking for any way to provoke Alexa. She had been treating me so delicately lately that I just wanted her to yell at me. Much to my dismay she closed her eyes for a moment to take a deep breath, and I could see her visibly calm down. "You seem pretty tired, Lyls," she pointed out. "Blair and I will leave you be so you can get some rest. We'll come get you when dinner's ready."

When they left, I closed my eyes again and tried to work toward sleep. Even though my dreams were not always pleasant as of late, it was the only time I could get any relief from the crushing weight of the world around me.

My eyes fluttered open as a sound woke me from my sleep. The room had darkened as the sun began to dip below the horizon. The door to the room opened and Blair greeted me with a smile. "Hey, hope you had a nice rest," she said. "Your mom has dinner ready, she sent me up to get you." I rolled away from Blair onto my other side and stared out the window. I could sense that Blair really didn't know what to do. "Well, I'll bring you a plate up just in case you get hungry."

The door shut behind her and I shut my eyes again, yearning for that dark void. I couldn't find it quick enough, however. My mind flashed an image of when I was at St. Mungo's. There was a moment when I had regained consciousness, and although it was brief, I saw the healers trying to save my daughter's life. The last thing I saw before losing consciousness again was her still body, blue and lifeless.

I squeezed my eyes tighter, willing the image from my mind. I could feel the tears soak the pillow beneath my head and the sobs that rolled through my body. I let the pain and sadness consume every cell in my body until there was once again nothing.

There was a rustling beside me that broke me out of my sleep. Alexa was lying next to me sound asleep and Blair was in the other bed across the room. I sat up in the bed and the moon out the window caught my eye. It was almost full. I suddenly felt like I was suffocating in my childhood room, trapped with nowhere to go.

I carefully climbed out of bed and tiptoed my way to the door. I grabbed my coat from the front closet and attempted to close the front door as quietly as possible. As my lungs expanded with the cool air, I finally felt like I could breathe again. I looked back at the house to weigh my options, but my feet were already moving.

I wandered the streets of the small town we had grown up in, looking for something I knew I would never find. While I know I hadn't really dealt with what had happened, I don't think I could. It was too painful to feel how I really felt, so the only alternative was to feel nothing. So, I wandered. I had started this habit at Hogwarts when the nightmares started. When I'd wake up in tears, I'd look over to Remus resting next to me, and all I could see was the life we lost.

After roaming about for an hour or so, I finally made it back to the house. What waited inside the walls was not what I had hoped. Instead of finding my family still asleep, I found a frenzy. Alexa and Blair who had mixed looks of relief and anger on their faces first confronted me. "Lyla, where the hell have you been?" Alexa said quietly, but harshly. "Mom and Dad are losing their minds."

"I just went out for a walk," I told them. "It's really not a big deal."

"It is a big deal, Lyla!" she insisted. "We were worried sick about you. Mom has been beside herself."

Just before I could make it to the stairs, my mother and father came around the corner. "Are you okay?" my mother asked, her cheeks still wet from tears. "Do you have any idea what you've put us through? You can't just run off in the middle of the night. You can't just disappear. Your father and I were so scared, we almost sent out a search party. And your poor sister and Blair were so panicked when they woke up and couldn't find you. How could you be so carless?"

"Just stop!" I yelled. "This is exactly why I had to leave tonight. I lost everything, and I feel like I'm suffocating! Everything I look at reminds me of that night, reminds me of her." I gasped for air as the emotions welled up in my throat. "I just had to get away, even for a night. So, please just leave me alone."

My mother began to cry again as I headed up the stairs. I could sense Blair and Alexa following behind me. Once in our room again, Alexa grabbed my arm and sat me down. "Look, I know you're going through a lot right now, and I can't even imagine how you feel. But, you have to start letting some of us in. Let us help you get over this."

I shook my head as I looked at my sister. "I can't just get over this, Alex," I admitted. "And you're right, you can't imagine how I feel, no one can. I just need to deal with this on my own."

"And what about Remus?" Alexa questioned. "What about what he's going through? You have shut him out, and we're doing everything we can to hold him together. He used Sirius's mirror tonight. He wanted to talk to you, but I had to tell him that you were gone and we didn't know where you were. Sirius and James had to literally restrain him from coming here. Please don't shut us out anymore."

Hearing Alexa talk about Remus gave me pause. I know I hadn't been there for him through all this, but all my energy was going toward making sure I don't completely lose it. He deserved better, but I couldn't give him anymore than I was right now. "Look, I know that Remus was hurt by all this too, but he seems to have dealt with it okay. I need more time, and I need to do it in my own way," I told Alexa and Blair. "You guys just want to fix things and make everything better. Well, you can't fix this, no one can fix this; so please, just stop trying."

I could see the anger on Alexa's face and could tell she wanted to lay into me, but she knew that nothing she said would make any difference. Instead, she let out a huff and pulled Blair with her toward the hallway and slammed the door behind her.

The next day, I once again had confined myself to our room and willed my mind to remain blank. There was a soft knock on the door, which I didn't acknowledge. After a few moments, my mother poked her head in. "Lyla, someone has come to see you," she said softly, she seemed nervous.

"I don't want to see anyone right now," I said rather curtly.

Not one to be easily deterred, my mother opened the door and bit further and entered into the room a couple steps more. "I understand that, but your cousin came all the way here to see you and we both wanted to spend some time with you."

Behind my mother, Monica came into view. She gave me a sad wave and a slight smile. "Hey, Lyls," she spoke. Seeing no way out of this, I sat up on the bed and motioned for them to join me. They both sat on the bed with me and looked silently at me. "I know you're going through a really tough time right now," Monica started, "But your mom and I just wanted you to know that we are here for you. We've both had miscarriages and know the pain you're feeling."

I shook my head slowly. "That's the thing though," I told them, "You don't know the pain I'm feeling. Yeah, you both had miscarriages, I gave birth to a child who was dead. I saw my daughter's tiny, lifeless body as they tried to save her." When I said this, my mother gasped slightly and tears welled up in her eyes. "Until you see that, I don't think you can ever understand the pain I am feeling."

"Darling," my mother said as she took my hand, "You're right, we never had to witness that, and it completely shatters my heart to know that you went through that, but we do know what it's like to lose a child. Maybe we can't understand how much you are hurting, but we have felt some fraction of that hurt."

"And I know the connection that is formed over those months of carrying and nurturing that baby inside you, and to lose that in a moment is heartbreaking. It is hard to see any sort of life past this loss, but take it from us; there is a life beyond this pain. You will never forget this hurt or your daughter, you will carry her with you always; but there will come a day where you begin to hurt a little less and you can live a life that combines her memory with a new future."

I couldn't help the tears that came spilling out. This was the first time that I had allowed myself to really feel the pain that filled my heart. "I just don't know what to do," I sobbed. My mother pulled me into her arms and held me tightly as I broke down. "I can't stand to feel this way anymore."

My mother tried to soothe me, and I suddenly felt like a small child again. She stroked my hair and Monica took my hand in hers. "I know it's hard to talk about it, but trust me, it really does help. You're friends are worried about you, and all they want is to help you. They couldn't do anything to stop what happened and they feel completely helpless. However, they can help you to work through your pain, you just have to let them in. You don't have to say anything specific or too deep, but just let them know how you're doing. They just want what's best for you." I nodded my head against my mother's chest as the tears continued to stream.

"We love you, Lyla," Monica added. "You are a new person now, this has changed you. You just need time to incorporate this new part of you into who you were before. I promise, it does get better."

I gave them both a hug and promised them that I would try to embrace this new sense of self and to let others help me through this transition. I followed them downstairs and headed for the kitchen, where I was told I could find Blair and Alexa. When I pushed the door open, I saw them sitting at the counter drinking tea. Blair perked up when she saw me, but Alexa met my eyes with indifference.

I went over to where they were and stood on the other side of the counter across from them. "I'm sorry for how I've treated you all lately, I thought I needed to isolate myself. I realize that you all just want me to be happy, but I don't know if or when I'll get there. I don't want to shut you guys out anymore. I won't always be able to talk about it, but that doesn't mean you can't still be there for me. So, anyways, I'm sorry."

Blair seemed to immediately forgive me. She gave me a big smile and then looked to Alexa, who had a very skeptical look on her face. The silence that I had so desperately craved earlier was now killing me. I just wanted her to say something. "Well, aren't you going to come over here and give us a hug?" Alexa questioned with a slight smile and open arms. I nodded my head and came around the counter to embrace them. "I missed you," she whispered in my ear as we held onto each other.

* * *

I had found that coming out of my self-imposed isolation was much harder than I thought it was going to be. I know that everyone close to me still felt saddened by what had happened to me, but the world around me continued on. To be completely honest I wasn't putting a whole lot of effort into moving on, but I just couldn't do it. But, I had promised my mother and Alexa that I would try to live in the world again, so I found things to help me put on a face for my family.

As far as they saw, I was on the road of recovery. I was starting to put my life back together and they could once again see a future for me. They needed that, so I gave it to them. I took a sip of my tea as I continued to stare down at the book I was pretending to read in the sitting room with Blair and Alexa.

There was a knock at the door and I could see Alexa and Blair immediately turn their attention to the door. I, however, was frozen by the sound. I knew who was on the other side of that door, and while I felt a sense of relief that Remus was okay and back safely, I was afraid of what having him back would mean. It had been easy to fool my parents, Alexa and Blair when Remus wasn't here, but I wasn't sure if I could keep it up with him here, and I highly doubted I would be able to fool him.

Alexa hopped up from her chair and headed for the door. Blair stood a few feet away from me and waited for me to join her. I heard the door open and a squeal of excitement from Alexa. When I came into the front hallway, Alexa and Sirius were locked in an embrace, and James was bringing in the rest of their bags. Remus was standing to the left of the door and he still had remnants from his transformation, but he honestly looked like he had fared pretty well this time around.

It seemed that as soon as Remus and I looked at each other, everyone turned their attention toward us, and there was this weird, sad tension that replaced the previous moment of excitement. Truthfully, it made my stomach turn. Remus gave me a small smile, but that only seemed to make the pain return. I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around him. "I'm glad you're okay," I whispered to him as I felt his own arms tighten around my shrunken waist.

I pulled away and turned to everyone else. "Well, I'm sure you all are famished," I said with the cheeriest smile I could muster. "You guys take your stuff upstairs and I'll get something together for lunch." Before anyone could say anything, I turned to head for the kitchen, passing through the sitting room to grab my cup of tea. Once in the kitchen, I grabbed for the counter and let out a deep breath. After the room stopped spinning, I grabbed for my mug and took a long drag at the dark liquid, shuddering slightly at the burn as it flowed down my throat.

After dinner later that night, I was exhausted from feigning happiness all day. With all the additional guests it was harder and harder to find time to be alone and drop the façade. Of course, the whiskey I'd been drinking in my tea all day and the couple glasses of wine at dinner hadn't really helped. I offered to clean the dishes, figuring no one else would offer to help and I could finally have a moment alone, but Remus naturally wasn't going to let that happen.

He offered to help, and I now found myself in the kitchen only with Remus and a stack of dirty dishes. I knew Remus had picked up on my not so subtle efforts to avoid him since he got back, and I knew that he wasn't going to let that slide so easily. We stood beside each other at the sink in silence. I rinsed the soap off of one of the plates and handed it to Remus so he could dry it. He took the plate from me, and with his other hand he took my wet soapy hand and held it. I stared down at the dishes in the sink but could feel Remus's eyes on me. I pulled my hand away and immediately started on the next dish.

"Can we please just sit down and talk?" Remus requested.

I handed him another plate. "We need to get these dishes washed," I responded.

"I think they can wait, Lyla," he suggested, his tone growing more impatient. I continued to scrub the already clean plate before me. A moment passed and Remus grabbed the plate out of my hands. "Damn it, Lyla, will you just stop for a second and talk to me?" he pleaded. "We haven't really talked since she died." I braced myself on the sink and closed my eyes. "Hell, you can't even look at me!"

"When I look at you, I see her," I whispered, as the tears returned. "I look at you and I see the daughter we'll never get to know. The life we'll never have."

Remus let out a sigh and wiped at his eyes. "You know, I'm sorry you see that Lyla, because when I look at you, I still see the woman I love, the woman that I see a future with," he told me. I let out a sob as I succumbed to the emotions I had been keeping at bay as of late. "I've been struggling too, Lyla. I am still sad, every day, but I've had to be strong for you. I want to be here for you, Lyls, but I need you to be there for me too. I feel like I'm losing you too."

I knew I should have gone over to him right then and there and held him, and told him that we would make it through this together, but my body wouldn't move. "I'm trying to get there, Remus," I told him. "If it'll help, you don't have to worry about me, I'm handling it."

"By drinking?" he questioned, a knowing look on his face. "I smelled it on you when you hugged me when I first got here."

I looked away from him and shrugged my shoulders. "I just need it to get me through while I'm here," I informed him; somehow I thought that would put him at ease. "It's just too hard to be around my family right now."

Remus just shook his head. "That's not a solution, Lyla."

"I know," I admitted. "It's a temporary thing, I promise. My family needs to see me getting better, and I need to feel like I'm getting better. The drinks help me act more normal. I promise I'll stop once we get back to school."

It was an empty promise and we both knew it. Remus put his drying towel on the counter and headed for the door. "I lost her too, Lyla. Please don't let me lose you too. Don't shut me out." He left the kitchen and I turned back to the sink. I took a moment, and then picked up another plate and began to wash it.

Christmas Day came, and the holiday spirit was in full swing in the Parker household. One after one the Parkers arrived for the day, and there was this weird mixture of holiday cheer and walking on eggshells; and I was the eggshell.

Alexa joined me on the couch and handed me a glass of wine. She took a sip of her own and let out a small laugh as Claire pulled a face at Uncle Scott before he grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder. "Well, the Parkers are in rare form this year," she commented. "They seem particularly odd, don't they?"

"I have a feeling it has something to do with me," I told her. Remus was talking with Monica's husband on the other side of the room, but he was watching me. "Did you know mom basically told everyone not to even say the word baby or any word related to babies?"

"Where'd you hear that?" she questioned. The look on Alexa's face told me that she did know what I was talking about, and that I clearly wasn't supposed to know.

"Claire told me," I answered. I saw Alexa look over at where Claire was playing. "You can't blame her, Alex, she's too little to understand all this."

Alexa gave me a small smile and nodded her head. "You know, mom is just trying to protect you," she told me. "She doesn't want you to hurt anymore."

I patted Alexa's leg and nodded my head. "Yeah. Well, I'm going to go top off my drink. You want another?" Alexa looked at her still full glass and then at my empty glass and shook her head. After filling up my glass I wandered into the kitchen and found my mom and my aunts gathered around the kitchen table. When they caught site of me they suddenly got quiet.

"Hey, sweetheart, how are you doing?" my mother asked.

"I'm fine, just wanted to see if you all needed any help getting dinner ready," I responded.

My mother got up from her chair and came over to give me a hug. "That's sweet of you to offer, but you don't have to worry about it," she told me. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "Why don't you head back into the den, I think we'll start opening presents in a few minutes." I looked at her and then my aunties, who just gave me a collective smile.

I nodded my head and made my way back out into the chaos. Sirius was sitting off to the side on a stool, Matthew and Xavier were talking his ear off and he looked incredibly bored. Taking pity on my dear friend, I went over to where they were and put my hand on Xavier's shoulder. "Hey, you boys mind giving us a minute?" I requested.

They both looked at me with wide eyes. "Oh, yeah, sorry Lyla," Matthew said quickly, pushing Xavier to move.

Sirius laughed as I took a seat on the stool next to him. "You are my savior," he told me graciously. "I thought it would never end." I raised my glass to him and then took another sip. "I see that wine is treating you pretty well."

I gave Sirius a look. "You're not going to lecture me like Remus did are you?" I asked.

Sirius shook his head. "It wouldn't do any good," he said simply. "Moony told us that you just needed it to get you through the break until we got back to school, and that's totally your prerogative. I'll just say this one thing, and that's all I'll say on this matter. I've found myself at the bottom of many bottles, especially when dealing with family stuff.

"The booze will numb you and help you carry on for a while, but it's not going to help you deal with the real stuff. That's always going to be there, no matter how much alcohol you poor into that glass. You've been like a sister to me, and I'd hate to see this destroy you and Remus. And I know you don't want to talk about it, and I know I won't ever be able to understand what you two went through, but I'm always here if you need to yell at someone, cry about something, or just sit in silence."

I fought back the tears that began to sting my eyes. I grabbed Sirius's hand and gave it a squeeze. I couldn't put anything into words, but I knew Sirius could tell what that meant to me. A moment later my father moved in front of the tree and clapped his hands together. "It is that time again, Parker clan," he announced. "We will now commence present opening, which will swiftly be followed by a lovely meal that has been prepared for us. "Claire has been selected to be the official present distributer this year, so direct all inquiries and complaints toward her. And without further ado, Happy Christmas everyone!"

The family broke into a thunderous applause and Claire quickly began to distribute all of the gifts diligently. Once all the presents had been given to their appropriate recipients, the den turned into a crime scene covered in wrapping paper. When everyone had pretty much opened all of their parcels, Clair went over to her mom with one last present hidden behind her back.

"Mommy, I made this for you at school," Claire told Zoe. "I wanted you to open it last." Zoe took the gift from Claire and placed a sweet kiss on Claire's nose, which elicited a giggle from my sweet little cousin.

"Well, aren't you just a doll," Zoe told Claire. "Let's see what we've got here." She unwrapped the gift, and everyone watched and waited to see what little Claire had made for her mother. After the paper was torn away, Zoe let out an 'aww' as she looked at what was under the green and red wrapping paper.

Getting tired of waiting to see what the gift was, Scott shouted out, "What'd you get? I can almost guarantee that it won't top the macaroni necklace that Claire gave me."

Laughter rolled through the room and then Zoe held up Claire's gift. "It's our first picture together," she told everyone. The picture she held up was of her cradling a newly born Claire. Their faces were nearly touching and the look on Zoe's face was one of unconditional love. It was a beautiful picture.

When I looked away from the picture, I was immediately met by the stares of my family members. Every single person was watching me, and they looked nervous, like they were just waiting for me to melt into a puddle of tears. Before I could tell everyone I was fine, my mom came over and extended her hand to me. "Lyla, why don't you come with me into the kitchen," she told me.

I didn't move from my seat as my mother's hand stayed extended. "I'm really okay, mother," I assured her. "We don't have to make a big deal about this, everyone can just carry on."

"I hear you, sweetheart, but just come with me anyways, I could use some help in the kitchen," she insisted.

"I don't think you are hearing me, mom," I told her, and I could feel myself losing it. "I know you mean well, but I cannot stand it anymore. Something terrible happened to me, and you all treating me like something terrible happened is not helping me. I am not a child anymore, I don't need you to protect me from my own feelings!"

My mother was on the verge of tears as Remus moved from his spot. "Lyla," Sirius whispered to me, "I think you should stop before you say something that you'll regret."

"To hell with that!" I told him. "I'm the only one being honest here, besides Claire over there."

Remus took the glass of wine from me and handed it to Sirius. "Lyla, you need to step out and cool down," he told me. I went to protest, but he cut me off. "You are drunk and you need to take a break from all this." The look in his eyes told me that I didn't have a choice. He stepped to the side and motioned for me to go. I headed for the stairs and took them all the way up to mine and Alexa's former room in the attic.

Once the door was closed behind us, Remus took that opportunity to get his frustrations out. "What the hell are you doing, Lyla?" he questioned. "Your family, and least of all your mom, doesn't deserve to be treated like that."

"I just couldn't take it anymore," I tried to explain. "They are treating me like a child. I'm already in hell, Remus, nothing they'd say could possibly make me feel worse than I do right now." Remus turned away from me and rubbed his face. I could tell he was getting pretty frustrated with me. "It's just hard for me to be around everyone. This was going to be our first Christmas as a family, this was going to be the first the whole family would get to meet the baby."

He turned back to look at me, his expression softer than it was before. "I think we need to just head back to school," he told me. "You need to get away from your family, and we can take the time before classes start to try and sort through some things." I shook my head in protest, but Remus shut it down real quick. "I'll help you pack up your trunk.

As we silently packed my clothes and things away into my trunk, Alexa burst into the room, followed by Sirius, James, and Blair. "What the fuck's going on here?" Alexa asked when she saw us packing.

"We are going to head back to Hogwarts early," Remus informed them. "We both just need to get out of here to work through some things."

Alexa had a shocked look on her face and she shook her head. "No, you can't just leave," she tried to reason. "Do you understand the shit storm that will start? They are already riled up down there, if you all leave that will send them over the edge. Mom is downstairs in tears, right now."

I turned to Alexa and gave her an apologetic look. "I don't want to leave you here to deal with all this, but Remus is right, I can't be here right now. All I've done is ruined everyone's Christmas," I told her. "I'll apologize to Mom, but we're going to leave tonight."

She let out a disgruntled sigh and shook her head once again. "If you two are leaving, then I'm leaving as well," she insisted.

"Alexa, don't," I disagreed. "You should stay here and enjoy the rest of the break. I don't want to ruin your whole break."

"Fuck that," Alexa responded bluntly. I saw Sirius smile slightly behind her. "What would ruin my break is being here without you. I love our family, but Lyla, the holidays aren't the same without you. We stick together, through anything." She gave me a wink and a nudge. I pulled her into a hug, so appreciative of my sister in that moment.

"Well, I guess we should all get to packing," James said as he threw his arms around Sirius and Blair.

* * *

When we got back to Hogwarts, we all headed to our respective dormitories to drop off our stuff. I thought I'd feel better being back, but this was the first time that the castle didn't feel like home. We put our trunks in our room, and then Remus turned to me. "How about we get some sleep, I'm sure you're exhausted," he suggested.

I looked at our bed and then I looked at the door that led to the adjoining room that was the nursery. "Actually, I'm famished, let's get everyone together and we can head down to the kitchens to see if we can rustle up some food." Remus hesitated momentarily and then nodded in agreement.

We both headed to the other dormitories and grabbed everyone else and then we headed for the kitchens. The elves in the kitchens were kind enough to let us in to search for something to tide us over until the morning. We each gathered as many snacks as we could possibly hold, and we congregated around one of the counters.

"Now, this is what I call a Christmas feast," James said as he bit into one of the cakes.

"Speaking of celebrating, I realized on the trip back, that we didn't really get to celebrate Alexa's birthday before the break," I said. "So, I think we should round up whoever is around on New Years Eve, and we should throw a proper party."

Alexa had a perplexed look on her face. "You really want to throw a party?" she asked me. I shrugged my shoulders and nodded my head. I looked over to Remus, and he had a worried look on his face.

"I just figured we could all do with a little bit of fun," I explained. "And what better occasion to celebrate than the birth of our precious Alexa?"

Alexa gave me a smile and took another bite of the cookie she'd been working on. "Well, if you're up for it, I think that would be a lot of fun," Alexa said. "I don't really care what we do, as long as we can all hang together."

"It's settled then," I decided.

After we had sufficiently stuffed our faces with any possible sweet you could think of, we were all pretty knackered and ready for bed. Remus and I headed up to our room for the night, as we had done night after night. We changed and got ready for bed in silence. Remus turned off the light in the bathroom and came over to where I was putting my jewelry on the dresser. He placed a kiss on my cheek and gave my arm a squeeze. "Goodnight, Lyla," he said.

He climbed into bed and I followed shortly, after turning off the lights. Remus seemed to fall asleep in no time, but no matter how hard I tried I could find that same peace. I tossed and turned, and it was a miracle that I didn't wake Remus up. As I turned on my side and saw the door to the nursery, I realized why I couldn't sleep.

I carefully climbed out of bed and headed over to the door. The door seemed to double in size with every step I took closer to it. My hand met the cold metal of the doorknob and I had to take a deep breath. I finally found the strength to push open the door and walked slowly into the room.

The room was dark, but the light from the moon streamed through the window on the far wall. Most of the stuff was still in the room, in the exact place it had been. The only thing that was different was the crib was now broken into pieces, stacked in a pile on the floor, and a stuffed dog that Sirius had given us was lying next to it.

I remembered the first time we had seen the nursery. I honestly couldn't believe that McGonagall and Dumbledore and arranged all of this for us. Everything in the nursery was so beautiful, and McGonagall had made sure there were distinct touches of Gryffindor throughout the room.

I eased myself onto the floor and reached for the dog. I stroked the soft fabric and held it against my chest. I was trying to start to live my life again, and I would honestly try to engage with the world around me again. But, when I was alone, I wasn't going to ignore the way I still felt deep inside. I laid down in the middle of that room, holding onto that stuffed dog for dear life and I cried myself to sleep.

The sound of my name broke through my sleep to my consciousness, but I wasn't fully awake. It wasn't until I felt a hand on my arm that I opened my eyes. I looked down at the stuffed dog that I was still holding onto and then up at Remus who was sitting beside me. "Hey," he said with a smile. "Were you in here all night?"

I placed the dog back among the rubble of the crib and sat myself up to face him. "I had trouble falling asleep," I told him. He brushed a piece of my hair out of my face and tucked it behind my ear. The look on his face was kind, but there was also some concern. "I'm fine," I assured him. "You don't have to worry. I'm going to go take a shower."

I stood up from my spot and started to head back through the door to our room. "Lyla," Remus said, stopping me right at the door, "I'll always worry."

"I know," I responded. He didn't look back at me; he just stared at the dismantled crib. I took one last look and then continued on to the bathroom.

New Years Eve had finally come and we were in full party mode. We had invited most of the Gryffindors who had returned back to school from the holiday and a select few other people. James had even asked Blair if she wanted to invite Matt. Even though Blair said she didn't want to invite him, it seemed that James and Blair had exchanged olive branches and they were working on having each other in their lives in a new way.

I guess if anything good came out of mine and Remus's loss, it was that it really had brought our whole group back together. When Alexa asked Blair why she didn't want to invite Matt, we couldn't quite get a clear answer, but we figured that was a conversation for another day.

Blair, Alexa and I had congregated in their dormitory to get ready for the festivities, and I had brought some fire whiskey with me to get things rolling. Alexa joined me on her bed while Blair was in the bathroom, and I poured us both shots. I handed Alexa her glass and we knocked back the burning liquid. Alexa's face scrunched up as she recovered from the liquor and then she gave me a smile.

"Thanks for doing all this for me, Lyls," she said. "I feel like we all really need a night where we can just let a lot of things go and just relax." I nodded in agreement and poured more fire whiskey into our shot glasses. Alexa hesitantly drank her shot as I took mine. She handed me her shot glass and cleared her throat. "I don't want to be a bummer, but I thought you were going to stop with the self-medicating once we were back at school."

I looked down at the bottle in my lap and shrugged my shoulders. "We're having a party, Alex," I told her.

"I know," she said, "but Remus said he's been able to tell you've been drinking since we got back, almost every day."

My hands tightened around the bottle as I felt the anger rise in me. "Well, you shouldn't believe everything Remus says. He's convinced that I'm spiraling out of control, but he just worries too much. Have I not been acting better lately? You all wanted me to be happy; am I not acting happy enough for you all?"

"Lyla, I was just asking, I didn't mean anything by it," she defended herself, trying to keep her voice calm. "And don't say anything to Remus, okay. I don't want you guys to get in an argument over this; I don't want things to get out of control.

Alexa waited for me to respond, but even with the alcohol swimming in my veins, I knew I should say anything in that moment, because it would just make things worse. "Well, I'll just see you guys over there," I said, getting up from the bed and heading for the door.

Before she could protest, I slammed the door behind me and headed down the stairs to the common room. It was pretty empty considering that most of the people who were back were probably in the Room of Requirements. James, Sirius, Remus and Peter had already headed to the Room of Requirements, but I wasn't quite ready to head that way.

I wandered around the castle for a little while; slowly depleting the bottle of fire whiskey I carried with me like a security blanket. By the time I turned up at the celebration the party was in full swing.

Within taking a few steps into the room, I was met by my friends, who seemed less than thrilled at my tardiness. "Where have you been? This whole thing was your idea. I just wanted to spend time with you for my birthday," Alexa said, slight admonishment in her voice.

"I was afraid I would cause things to get out of control if I came to soon," I responded, a little more sarcastically than intended.

"You know I didn't mean it like that," Alexa corrected me. "It's my birthday, and I just want to have a good time with my sister."

"Well, Alexa, I'm here now," I told her. "And if that's not enough for you, I'll do something special for you, how about that?" I grabbed a chair that was near by and climbed up on it. I clapped my hands really loud and yelled for everyone's attention. After a few moments, most people quieted down and someone had turned down the music. Alexa had a look of panic and confusion on her face, but I didn't pay her much attention.

"Thanks for coming tonight, everyone," I started. "As you know, we are all here not only to ring in another great year, but to also celebrate the birth of my dear little sister, Alexa. My sister so unselfishly asked people to not make a big deal of her actual birthday or celebrate because a little before that I had given birth and my baby died. I can't blame her, there's nothing that ruins a celebration like the death of a baby, am I right?" Blair gasped and clutched her chest.

Everyone's faces were perplexed and they all seemed very uncomfortable. I found Remus's face and he looked fit for murder. "She's absolutely amazing isn't she?" I continued. "So, now we celebrate without that shadow of death hanging over us, and I couldn't be happier for my sister. I could not be happier. Cheers to Alexa!" I stepped down from the chair and everyone in the room began to chatter. I was drawing a lot of weird look, but I didn't really care.

"Was that really necessary?" Blair asked. Alexa had her arms wrapped around her own body and she sniffed as she tried to hide her tears.

"I felt like I needed to do something special for Alexa," I to her. "She wanted to spend time with me today and have a special night all together, so I gave a speech to toast her birth and profess how truly great my sister is."

Sirius took Alexa into his arms and Remus was the next one to come to her defense. "Can't you see how you've upset her?" he asked. "You shouldn't have said all that. Everyone was having a good time, and now look at her."

I looked to Alexa who looked extremely upset. "Smile, Alex," I told her. "It's a party, you should try to be happy." I gave her one last look and then moved to leave. No one came after me when I left, and I couldn't decide if I was relieved or if that angered me even more.

As I rounded the corner near the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, I ran into someone. When I looked up after stumbling back, clearly uneasy on my feet, I saw Lily before me. "Oh, hey, Lyla," she said. "I was just on my way to the party." I nodded my head, but didn't really know what to say. I think Lily could tell I didn't want to talk about the party so she changed the subject. "I've actually been meaning to ask you something," she started. "What do you know about the Order of the Phoenix?"

If I had had full control of my faculties, I would have been more careful about what I said, but seeing as I was three sheets to the wind, I practically let it all spill. "Oh, I know loads about the Order," I gushed. "Dumbledore pretty much started it all, and they are starting to invite students into the folds to grow the Order. With Voldemort and his followers growing, I suspect the Order wanted to get as many of us right out of school as they can. I don't remember Dumbledore telling me that you were in it, how did you find out?"

Lily took everything I was saying in and it took her a moment to process it all. "Um, Alexa left her letter inviting her into the Order on the bathroom sink in the dormitory," she explained. "So, students aren't supposed to know about this unless they are asked to be in the Order?"

I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me. "Right you are, Lils," I said through laughter. "And yet, here you are. You know our secret." I was struck by another fit of giggles, and Lily just watched me like I was a madman. "I'm not sure of how important it is to keep this a secret, but you probably shouldn't say anything to anyone. Or tell everyone you know, makes no difference to me. I should probably get going." I gave her a nod goodnight and went to move past her.

"Lyla, do you want to some help getting back up to your dormitory?" Lily asked as I walked away from her.

I waved her off. "No, I'll be fine. You go, have fun, and celebrate my sister," I shouted to her. When I finally got to the portrait hole. It took me a few tries to get the password right and I stumbled towards the common room. I looked at the stairs leading up to our dormitory and I could not for the life of me remember the password into the room. So instead, I forced myself into the Gryffindor common room and sat on one of the couches and racked my brain for all of ten minutes and then abandoned my efforts.

The couch felt incredibly comfortable, and there was really no need to seek refuge in a bed that felt foreign to me. I laid my body down on the couch and got into a comfortable position. Nearly every nerve ending in my body was numb, and I couldn't even feel the material of the couch underneath my skin. I relished this feeling of nothingness, and I feared waking up to that feeling being gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	18. Rule 63: On Receiving Detention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I smiled in my stupor, holding onto him for support and listened to Blair’s melodious voice as she talked endlessly about the merits of super-waterproof mascara. “Gripping. Truly compelling,” Remus said as we reached the Common Room, and I laughed as Sirius placed me on my feet.

_Rule 63: Upon receiving detention, gracefully and gratefully accept their invitation, while planning all the while to ruin said detention with merry making or pranking of any kind._

_Alexa's Point of View_

* * *

As the door shut behind Lyla, I felt my friends, and what felt like the entire population of the party turn their attention to me. Sirius' grip around me tightened slightly, as if he were trying to protect me from the prying eyes. I knew the tears I had been crying would have left my makeup horrifically deformed, but there was nothing I could do at present time. And for once, I didn't feel like acting like an adult. I didn't feel like pretending everything was alright. I didn't want to try and reason with myself and the rest of my friends on why Lyla was acting like a mega-asshole.

All I wanted was to get completely and utterly trashed.

"Fuck it." I told Sirius, looking up at him while he wiped away the dark tracks of the heavy mascara I had applied. I gave him a small smile, leaning into his warm palm, and then I extracted myself from his hold. Turning to look at Blair, and then James, and finally Remus, I shrugged my shoulders. "I can't deal with it tonight. So I'm going to say fuck it for now, and let's get drunk."

"A fantastic idea if you ask me!" James said, summoning his mini-marauder from the crowd with a tray of shots. I took one for myself, then grabbed the extra that would have been Lyla's. Turning to look at my friends, I raised my glass and knocked it against Blair's.

"To Alex, turning 17 at last." She said before knocking her drink back, placing the empty shot back on the tray. I followed suit, drinking the first, and then second shot in succession, letting the warm liquid wash away the cold feeling in my body. I looked over at Remus, who was still looking at his drink.

"Meet me on the dance floor in two minutes," I told Sirius, who squeezed my side before leaving with James and Blair to get into whatever debauchery they could muster in two minutes. Then, I walked closer to Remus.

"I'm sorry, Alex. I don't know how to help her." Remus put his shot glass on the table next to us, and ran a hand over his tired face. I picked the drink back up, handing it to him once again.

"Look, Reems, I have to be honest with you. Lyla is going to be stubborn about this, and she has every reason to be. But at the moment, we're not going to be able to get through to her. Wherever she went, she's still in the castle, and she's not going to get hurt while she's in the castle." I sighed, taking my brother-in-law's hand. "I feel guilty about it too. I don't want to be happy and partying while she's hurting so badly. But if we want to be equipped to deal with her in the morning, we need to have a little fun ourselves."

Remus looked towards his drink, then slowly tilted it back into his mouth, swallowing and grimacing. I couldn't help the small cheer I let out. "When did you become so wise?" He teased, and I shrugged my shoulders.

"Well, you know what they say. Another year older, another year wiser." I winked before grabbing his hand and leading him towards the rest of our friends. I forced a smile for a moment, and then took a deep breath, grabbing another mixed drink that was floating on a tray nearby us. Taking a long swallow, I let the alcohol rush over me, feeling my limbs loosen and my heart lighten slightly.

I wasn't lying to Remus when I had said that I felt guilty. Lyla was my best friend; she was the one that I looked for whenever something was wrong. I firmly believed that she was my soul mate. But I had tried to help her; I had tried everything I could think of to talk to her, to understand what she was going through; and I had written her enough get out of jail free cards. But I was also hurt, and I didn't want to leave the party, only to get burned again once I found her. And so, for now, I was planning on having a good time.

Tomorrow was the time to deal with the situation.

Finding Sirius on the dance floor was easy enough. Dancing as if the whole world would move out of the way for him, he took up a large majority of the space on the makeshift dance floor. I stood back with Blair for a few moments, watching him have a spastic attack on the dance floor to one of the newest songs in the wizarding world. When he noticed us just standing there, he immediately pulled us in, dragging us into a semi-choreographed dance as he taught us his moves.

Eventually, I was no longer pretending, and was truly having a good time. The alcohol had warmed my body, loosening my tongue and limbs, as I sang loudly and out of tune with the music surrounding me. For a while, I closed my eyes, letting the music guide me as my friends danced around me. The music began to slow down, and I finished my drink, looking for a place to set my empty cup as Sirius swept me into his arms for a slow song.

James, graciously supplying me with fresh drinks throughout my dancing, snagged my empty cup and gave me a small bow as I blew him a kiss. Then, I wrapped my arms around Sirius, leaning my chin up on his chest to look up at him. "I really love you, you know that?"

"And I really love you," He said, bending down slightly to rub our noses together. "I'm sorry this has all been so hard on you, Alex."

"I just want her to be okay, ya know?" I said, leaning more fully on Sirius' chest. We danced like that for awhile, even when the song changed into something more fast paced, but I didn't care. It felt good, for once, to just be with him; to not have to worry about anything.

When I opened my eyes, I noticed Lily and Blair over by the drinks table, Lily clutching onto a cup for dear life while Blair seemingly interrogated her. I slowly pulled away from Sirius, deciding it was time to rejoin the world. A little unsteady on my feet, I couldn't help the giggle that erupted when Sirius had to catch me as I tumbled.

"Duty calls, my love," I said, reaching up and giving him a slightly too long for decency kiss, before walking in the direction of Lily and Blair. I stopped next to James, who was standing some little ways away, holding a pair of shot glasses. "Who are those for?" I asked with interest as he stared at the two women, transfixed.

"Well, I was taking one to Padfoot, but you can have it if you'd like, since it is your birthday." He finally looked at me, a smile on his face making him look just like the little boy I had become best friends with all those years ago in Charms class.

"Nah, I thought I'd go figure out what is going on over there and get my own refreshment." I patted his shoulder, and then started to turn away. Before I got too far, however, I turned back to him. "Don't worry about them, James. Blair won't do anything too bad to Lily." I winked, and James went red, before turning and walking towards where Remus and Sirius were congregated, telling a grand tale to the audience gathered around them.

Turning around, I made my way over to where Lily was being seemingly harassed by Blair. I was about to step in and make light of the situation to bring the mood up, but then Lily laughed and hid her blushing face behind her fiery hair and Blair looked triumphant. When she noticed me, standing bewildered a few feet away, she waved me over.

"Alexa, I have wonderful news for your birthday." I gave her a curious look, before reaching around her and grabbing a small sugary treat off the table. Biting into it and chewing slowly, I waited for her to go on. "Lily here has revealed that she has a small crush on someone we all know and love."

"Look, Lils, I want to pretend like this is a shock but I totally know that it's James." My drunken mouth was speaking without me, and Blair and Lily both looked at me in shock. I shrugged my shoulders, finishing my snack and reaching between them once again and beginning to fix myself another drink.

"How'd you figure it out?" Blair asked, disappointed that I had ruined her surprise. Taking a slow sip, I nodded to myself, and then turned back towards my friends. I looked at Lily, who was acting slightly awkward, but chalking it up to the fact that I had just revealed I knew she fancied the pants off my best friend's ex-boyfriend who was also my best friend, it made some sense.

"James and Lily have been spending an awful lot of time together since the two of you broke up. And you can pretend that it's for the Head duties, but really? How often do the Head boy and girl need to go to the kitchens for snacks?" Blair and Lily looked at me, shocked, and I smiled. "Come on, guys! Don't act so surprised. You're talking to the girlfriend of a Marauder. I've seen the map."

"I totally thought I had news." Blair said, huffing and then turning towards the drink table to make her own poison. "You know, this is totally unfair that you knew and didn't say anything to me, Alex."

Looking at Lily, I gave her a small wink and a smile, wondering how she was staying so calm about all this. When people found out I was basically in love with Sirius, I was all about the idea of deny till you die. But Lily was sitting here, acting like it was all good.

"Not that I'm not totally cool with it, or anything," I said, starting my sentence with a clarification so that Lily didn't get skittish and not want to tell me anything. It was still a mystery to me how we had started our tentative friendship after 6 years of not really speaking, and I didn't want to do anything to really mess it up before it started. But I also didn't really know how to act around new friends, so this was going to be a learning experience for me as well. Anyway, I digress. "But why didn't you just say something to us, or heck, to James?"

"It's not really too easy to just tell someone you fancy them, Alexa." Lily said with a laugh. Blair turned back around, a tray in her hand with three mixed looking shots on it. "Plus, I didn't want Blair to think that I'd stepped in on James when they hadn't been broken up for that long."

"But I don't mind, and I'm totally over James, and after everything we've been through I just want him to be happy." Blair said, passing the tray out to us both and letting us take the small glass from it. I gave my best friend a look, trying to see behind the façade she was wearing, but I was too drunk to really look.

"I'd really like to know what is in this before I drink it," Lily said, looking at the murky drink with trepidation.

"It's a friendship shot. I can't tell you what's in it because I don't even remember, but I promise it's good." Lily and I shared a look, and then I held my glass out to my friends, old and new. Blair smiled widely, and clinked her glass with ours, the force spilling some of the liquid onto our hands. Laughing, she said, "To friendship!" and then we all took the shot.

"That was literally the worst thing I've ever tasted in my entire life." I said, coughing slightly as the liquid burned to my toes. Even my ears were tingling.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Blair, that was horrendous." Lily said, pulling a face and looking like she'd like to take back the last minute of her life.

"Yeah, I'm never going to claim to be the best bartender in the world." She put her cup back down, reaching into the bowl next to it and grabbing some candy for the three of us. I took it gratefully and then began to unwrap it.

I felt an arm snake around my waist, and the candy was plucked out of my hand. I spun around to tell Sirius off, but was met instead by his lips and a long, lingering kiss that took my breath away and the need to argue.

"Love, whatever you just ate or drank tastes like the bottom of a boot." He frowned at me, and I rolled my eyes, shrugging his arm off me.

"If you'd let me put that candy in my mouth," I reached out for his hand holding my salvation, but he pulled it up too high that in my drunken state I couldn't reach for it. Then he gave me a wink and a laugh when he thought of some dirty joke having to do with what I'd just said. "Sirius, if you speak now you will sleep alone tonight."

Weighing his options, he graciously kept his mouth shut before giving me back my candy. I popped the sweet in my mouth and then allowed him to put his arms back around my waist, leaning his chin on top of my head. "So what is it you all were drinking and talking about over here?" He asked, a mischievous tone to his voice.

"Well," Blair drew out, moving between Lily and James and wrapping her arms around both of their shoulders. "I was just saying how it would be an awesome idea if the lot of us got everyone to play a drinking game, or perhaps a little round of truth or dare?" She looked at James and Lily in turn, and then smiled at me as I nodded along with her. "James, any objections to that? You, of course, would have to help Lily out since she's new to the group and might not know how all the rules work."

James, who was just drunk enough to not be able to see through Blair's very obvious meddling, smiled widely and chuffed Blair lightly under the chin. "I think I can do that. After all, as Head Boy of this fine school I have become quite understanding of many rules." I laughed before I could help it, hiding my face in my cup as James turned to me. "Just because I said I was understanding of them didn't mean that I followed them." He retaliated, and I held my drink up in salute.

As James dragged Lily away to find a place to set up the game, Blair smiled evilly at Sirius and I, and then Remus who was coming up behind us. "You have no intention of playing games, do you?" Sirius asked, a chuckle in his voice.

"Obviously not," I said for Blair, who only shrugged her shoulders and smiled at me.

"So when did you realize that Lily and James had very obvious crushes on each other?" Remus asked, grabbing a handful of chocolate pieces from a bowl and unwrapping one.

"Probably right after James and I had a long talk about feelings and where we stood friendship-wise at Christmas." We all three watched her cautiously, and she sighed, fluffing up her perfect ponytail and smoothing her hands over her skirt. "Look, I know it doesn't seem like me, but at the moment, I'm happy for James. It didn't work out between us, and that makes me sad, but I know that neither of us made the other truly happy, and I'm just glad to see that he is happy again. I don't want it to come between us, and I'm happy just being James' friend," She paused, and looked over to where James and Lily were sitting, laughing and smiling between crowds of people. "And of course, his match-maker."

I smiled at Blair, then stretched out of Sirius' hold, making him swat at my bottom and causing me to stumble as I laughed and tried to dodge away. "Blair, I feel like a best friend dance, and since Lyla isn't here, we'll have to do it up big in her honor. Perhaps the good vibes will help out?" Blair grinned, and took my hand as we skipped out to the dance floor, letting the drunken giddiness of the night carry us through.

A few hours later, after many people had begun their departure with the drunken help of Sirius and a slightly soberer Remus and the Marauders Map, Blair and I sank down onto a fluffy beanbag she had conjured from the room. I sighed as the beans molded seamlessly against my body and relaxed my muscles. The room spun slightly, and I placed my hand out to steady it against the wall and anchor myself.

"My dear Alex, I do believe I'm seeing more than one and less than three of you." Blair and I burst into giggles as she said this, falling into each other as I rested my head against her shoulder and she rested her head against mine.

"We do seem to be in a bit of pickle." I responded with a loopy grin. I watched through my hazy vision as Sirius, James, and Remus took one last shot of alcohol before they wandered over to us. Lily, by this time, red-faced and grinning had left the party, no doubt to go dream of her future children with James.

"Shall we retire to the boudoir?" Sirius spoke with an exaggerated accent, and I blushed, laughing and feeling slightly hot at the same time. He put out his hand, and I accepted the help as he pulled me upwards, holding me steady with both hands wrapped around my waist as I stumbled into him.

"I may be slightly inebriated." The word came out a jumbled mess of syllables, and he let out his barking laugh as I nuzzled my forehead into his warm chest.

"Let's get you back to the Common Room, drunky." He said, his voice as warm and smooth as chocolate. As the five of us left, checking the map periodically to avoid very much unwanted contact with Filch or the teachers, I began to doze slightly against Sirius, who eventually wrapped his arms around me and hauled me up to carry me. I smiled in my stupor, holding onto him for support and listened to Blair's melodious voice as she talked endlessly about the merits of super-waterproof mascara.

"Gripping. Truly compelling," Remus said as we reached the Common Room, and I laughed as Sirius placed me on my feet. Remus, when tipsy-on-his-way-to-drunk, was always more sarcastic, and as his sister-in-law, I truly appreciated it. "Tiddlywinks." Remus said, and the Fat Lady, with an air of propriety about her, swung open as slowly as possible. She hadn't been too happy with me when I had James change the password for my birthday, and was now punishing us by making us wait to get to our warm and delicious beds.

"Sod it," I said, pushing in between the small crack she had made, and listening to her outrage as the rest of my friends did the same, I giggled my way into the dark Common Room, spreading my arms wide as I did so. "And that, my good friends, is how it's done. Now, Sirius my love, your room, or mine?" I winked, much to the disgruntlement of Blair and James who were neither interested in having Sirius and I in their rooms, and was about to retaliate when there was a pained moan behind me.

My eyes widened, and I peeked over the back of a high couch, to see an unexpected lump underneath a thick gold and red blanket. "Who is it?" Blair asked, coming up behind me and trying to get a good look. I shrugged, deciding it would be best if one of the others looked. It could be anyone, for Merlin's sake, and I wasn't interested in becoming the victim. Play the victim, they say, and you will be the victim.

"What the hell?" James said as he walked back around and lifted the blanket off the person, who I realized, with some surprise, was my older sister. Her makeup was smeared all down her cheeks, and her eyelids were moving under a dream. Remus let out a sigh as the rest of us stood blankly, wondering what to do.

"I'll take her back to our room." Remus said, and I bit my lip, trying not to feel angry or let the mood be dampened. It was harder than expected though as everyone began to disperse. When it was just Sirius and I, I took my spot on the couch that Lyla had just vacated, patting it so he would sit next to me.

"So, that kind of put a damper on things," I said, leaning up against his shoulder while he wrapped his arm around me.

"To be honest, love? I don't think either of us could've made it that far anyway," He nudged me with a laugh and I allowed myself to giggle at the truth of the statement.

"What about some cuddling instead?" I asked, "and a rain check?" I added, not allowing the moment to go completely to waste.

"Seal it with a kiss?" He asked, already leaning in. I nodded against his lips, then allowed myself to forget the drama of our life for awhile.

The next morning came with a very startling amount of sunlight in the eye, and a very frigid arm coming up to rest against my waist. With a groan, I opened my eyes and took in my surroundings. I was still in the Common Room in the outfit that I had worn last night, and the frigid arm around me belonged to one Sirius Black, who was also in the Common Room with the same clothes on that he'd had on yesterday. I blinked blearily again, feeling the sunlight bore deep inside my soul and begin to shred what little amount of sanity I had left. There was a groan from across the way, and I looked over to the stairs to see Blair, her hair coming out of an extremely messy and not on purpose ponytail. She pointed her wand to the window, and the light dimmed slightly, enough to at least dull the aching of my eyes.

"I have never felt like this before in my life." She stated, before walking, zombie-like to the chair across from the couch.

"Someone please start that fire," Sirius' groan startled me, and the slight jump I gave set the room spinning. I sat up, and put my head in my hands that were resting on my denim-clad knees.

"Literally I think I may have died last night and have just now been reborn to a shell of my former self. I may never live again." Blair nodded in agreement to my statement, before pointing her wand at the fire. She was paying little attention, however, and almost lit the Common Room on fire with the force of the blaze. I laughed before I could help myself, and the noise sounded like gun-fire to my own ears.

"Please never turn 17 again," The boy next to me pleaded as he too sat up and looked around the room. "Where is everyone?" He asked, putting his feet on the floor and running a hand over his face.

"Not sure," Blair said, sinking deeper into the warmth of the fire and the cushions of the seat. "I just woke up and when I couldn't find Alexa I came down here. That's as far as I got." She put a hand up to her head, groaning once more. "I'm almost one-hundred percent sure I slept in Lily's bed last night, meaning that Lily was not in it this morning either."

"Curiouser, and curiouser." I said, mumbling through a yawn. "I need food, and coffee, and maybe ten to fifty headache potions. Think Pomfrey would shell out just this once?"

Sirius stood shakily on his feet, and then rolled his head around his shoulders. "Let's do this. You two go get dressed and head down to the Great Hall, maybe there's still some food around. I'll go and get the potions from Pomfrey. She's got a soft-spot for me."

He tried to wink, and instead blinked both eyes. "Bloody hell, I think I'm broken," He muttered before leaning down and giving me a quick kiss on my forehead. When he straightened, he saluted us and made his way to the stairs leading up to the boy's dorms.

I got to my feet as well, and then collapsed back to the couch with the effort. "I don't think I'll ever be able to look at alcohol again without feeling like I'm about to expel my life." Blair nodded, and then I steeled myself against the dizziness and stood up to go get ready to face the day.

The stairs were a struggle, and the effort it took to get into the shower without becoming physically ill was another story altogether, but my saving thoughts were that eventually I would be able to magic these feelings away when Sirius came through with the elixir of life, aka potions. Finally dressed, with my face resembling a ghost, Blair and I made our ways down to the Common Room and then out to the frigid hallways.

Since school was starting back on Monday, it was still slightly quiet, with the holidays winding down to an end and I walked a little more swiftly because it was starting to creep me out. As we made our way down the stairs to the Great Hall, skipping over the crazy stair that would spell our utter doom today, I breathed in the smells of the food that was coming from the dining room. My stomach let out a grumble and I laughed, as Blair made a face, her stomach seeming to answer mine.

"Let's get in there. I can see Sirius' head from here and he looks much perkier than before." Blair said, starting her way into the hall. I moved to follow her when there was a voice behind me, saying my name. Blair paused, looking from me to the Headmaster, before I nodded for her to go on.

"Headmaster." I tried to make myself look as upstanding a citizen as possible, but I wasn't sure how well I pulled it off when Dumbledore gave me a knowing smile. "Have I done something I need to be worried about?" I asked, trying to rack my brain for any possible things that could have made me step out of line.

"No, my dear girl, your nose is clean so far as I can tell. Unless there was something that may have happened last night that I shouldn't know about?" The knowing smile was back and I let out a nervous laugh, unsure whether we were going to get busted or not. "That is, however, not the matter which I wanted to discuss with you. Have you changed your mind on joining the special club that we mentioned at the beginning of the year? I seem to have missed your owl."

"Sorry, Headmaster, but I'm not sure I know what you're talking about," I said, confusion clouding over me. "I'm fairly adamant about joining. I tried to make that clear at the beginning of the year."

"Yes, I do recall that. However I sent you an Owl earlier in the month right after you came of age, and have received no correspondence back from you." My breath seemed to rush out of me, as I recalled Cleo bringing me a letter the day of my seventeenth birthday. I had been rushing to get ready to go to Hogsmeade with Sirius and James, and I had taken the letter and placed it somewhere. Realizing I had taken too long to respond, I looked back at Dumbledore and fixed my face into a smile.

"I'm sorry, sir, it must have just slipped my mind what with everything happening. But I definitely received that Owl and I definitely placed it somewhere for safe keeping after I read it." Smiling again, I shifted back and forth between my feet. "But my answer from before still stands. I'm committed to joining the Order. I mean, the uh, club."

Patting me on the shoulder, Dumbledore smiled, and then began to walk into the Great Hall for his own breakfast. "I'll be expecting your formal owl within the week, Ms. Parker."

"Yes, sir!" I called after him, feeling dread wash over me at the idea that I could have, maybe, slightly possible, almost one hundred percent lost that letter. I sighed as my head throbbed, and resigning myself to having to look all over the place in our dorm and common room, I walked into the Great Hall.

Sirius and Blair were looking much better than they had when I last saw them, but the same could not be said for many people around the Gryffindor tables. "For the price of you calling me the best ever, I will exchange you for one mint condition Hangover potion." Sirius said as I sat down next to him, the sight of the food making me feel queasy.

"I'll say whatever you want if you just give me the vial." I reached for it, downing it in one go and waiting for the effects to affect me. After a few minutes, my headache abated, my stomach unknotted itself, and I felt like myself again. "You are the best ever, and I will love you forever, if for nothing more than you saving me from that horrendous hangover."

Inhaling some bacon, I sat happily for a moment before I remembered my talk with Dumbledore out in the hall. I was about to tell my two companions about it when there was a shuffling and someone, make that two someone's, sat down across from me. I raised my eyebrows, looking to Sirius next to me and seeing him have the same reaction.

"Well, well, well. It looks like our dear friend Blair is actually a genius." Sirius said, wiping his hand on the napkin in his lap.

"I resent that statement but I do happen to believe I was correct. Pony up, Sirius." She held her hand out and Sirius rolled his eyes, reaching into his pocket and handing over the illustrious Marauder's map.

"You can't bet the map, Padfoot!" James muttered, watching as it exchanged hands. "And you all are talking about us like we're not here." He put his hand on his head, exhaling like talking had just caused him great strife. "Alex, I'm blaming this horrendous hangover on you."

Lily, who had been suspiciously quiet up until this moment, chose now to insert herself into the conversation. "I second that." I couldn't contain the happy grin that took over my face as Sirius dangled two hangover potions in front of their faces.

"For full details of how this happened I will supply you with these wonderful elixirs." He laughed as James tried to grab for it, almost knocking the pumpkin juice over at the same time. Blair lunged for the pitcher so it wouldn't spill all over her, and then glared at James.

She directed her next comment towards Lily. "Just so you know and realize, this is what you've chosen to shackle yourself to."

Lily grimaced and then grabbed herself a potion from Sirius, downing it in one and making the slightest irritated noise. "I haven't shackled myself to anything, actually. We got called out last night to run interference between Filch and a group of first years roaming the castle. Apparently they got called from their beds by some Slytherin seventh years, I'll let you guess who and we had to escort them back to their house and tell Slughorn what happened. Needless to say, neither of us has had any sleep."

"Well that was definitely less anticlimactic than I wanted it to be." Blair said, wrinkling her nose and turning back to her breakfast. "How'd I end up back in your bed then?"

"You smashed your way into it last night while I was getting my robe on to deal with the Head Girl duties." Lily said, raising a perfectly groomed eyebrow at her. Blair nodded her head, saluting Lily with her tea mug.

James finally grabbed his potion from Sirius and then exhaled in a long and tortured way. "Alas, I think that out of everyone, my life has been affected the most by this party. I will take condolences in any way you see fit."

The bad thing about trying to ignore someone when you lived, breathed, and went to school in the same castle was that it was basically impossible. This fact was made all the more understandable to me when I sat down next to Lyla in Potions the next Tuesday. Sitting straighter and paying more attention than I ever had in class, I tried not to laugh at the juxtaposition of my sister and I. Before losing her baby, Lyla was the studious one. She took diligent notes in an impressively neat cursive, and shunned us for not doing the same. I was usually the one, deep in my chair, trying to decide if I could shoot a hair-twister at Sirius without him knowing it was me.

I found myself doodling on my page, sneaking glances towards my right at Lyla with each passing minute, and listening to Slughorn drag on and on about how important this last semester at Hogwarts would be for our education. Sighing, I put my quill down, and turned to look more fully at Lyla. She had her arms crossed in boredom, the parchment in front of her blank with no quill in sight. My sight went past her ignoring me, and I caught Sirius and Remus looking at us from the next table.

Remus raised an eyebrow, and I surreptitiously shook my head in disagreement, telling him silently to not get involved in trying to make us speak to each other. Sirius gave me an encouraging look behind Remus' shoulder and I turned from them to look at the table on my left. James and Blair, unfortunate partners in a table, even after their breakup, were faring much better than Lyla and I. Able to put their differences behind them, they were whispering to each other, gossiping about something or other, but most likely having to do with the red-head in the front row that kept checking her bag for things she may have forgot and sneaking glances at James from behind the curtain of auburn hair.

My patience with the way the class was going was on a short tether, each string breaking with each sigh let out from next to me. About to stand up and bolt for lack of any other options, my attention was snapped back to Slughorn when he stood up and let out a loud laugh at the story he had been regaling us with.

"Anyhow, the rest of that story will be for another time, but let me tell you; I know you'll all be waiting with baited breath for the end!" Looking out to the sea of students, seeing various forms of boredom on all of our faces, he sighed and leant against the front of his desk. "Now can anyone tell me what this illustrious story has to do with our class today?"

People exchanged confused glances with one another, while I studiously ignored my sister to my right. Finally, Lily raised her hand in the front row. "The story has something to do with partnerships?" Slughorn beamed at the red-head, clapping his hands slightly.

"You are indeed correct, Miss Evans! Which leads me into my next point. Take a look at your desk-mate, for you will be spending the rest of the semester working on a project with them. Your grade will depend upon each other, so don't think that one of you will be able to get away with doing all the work." He looked pointedly at Remus and Sirius, and then got a contemplative look in his eye, as if he realized just now that he was putting two of the notorious Marauders together. "And I'll be keeping a special eye on the two of you."

"Professor, I'd never do anything to stir up trouble in your class." Sirius said, hand over his heart. Remus rolled his eyes, looking over to Blair who was nodding in sympathy towards him.

"Indeed, Mr. Black. I'm sure that you'll all be curious to know what kind of project that I'll be handing out so let's jump right in, shall we?" When no one responded to his jovialness, Slughorn continued. "Over the course of the semester we'll be making several different potions, each one more difficult than the next. At the end of the semester you will be graded on the potency of each potion, which you will make together and cultivate inside and outside of class. Then, you'll write a review of each potion, and the process that it took to get you there. Really, it should be a fun learning experience for us all!"

I felt my heart sink as Lyla shifted in the seat next to me, knowing that I'd have to spend a whole semester working with her, trying to be civil and not kill each other while making something our grade would depend on. As Sluggy started to answer questions from other students in the class, I opened the index of my potions book and started to peruse the pages for potions that would be easy enough to do, but hard enough to satisfy our professor. In reality, I was just trying to avoid the stares of my friends, who were waiting for one of us to explode.

Steeling myself up, I paused in my perusing of the book to look at Lyla. "Are there any particular potions you want to try, or are you happy with what I've got in mind?" When she didn't answer me, starting to examine her nails instead, I felt my nerves string tighter onto their tether. "Lyla, I'm talking to you."

I regretted the words as soon as they were out of my mouth. Turning slowly in her seat, Lyla sat up a little straighter. Her eyes locked onto me, and it immediately felt like the air was being sucked from the room. "Alexa, I've told you time and time again that I don't give a damn. So do you what you want, but don't expect me to get all excited about it. Because, and this is the last time that I'm going to reiterate this for you, I do not care."

I took a deep breath, and then stood abruptly from my chair. The noise in the otherwise quiet classroom felt deafening, and I walked up to Slughorn's desk on autopilot. "Uhm, Professor?"

"Yes, my dear?" Slughorn looked up from his desk, seemingly surprised to see me in front of him.

"I can't work on this project with Lyla. I'm going to need a new partner." I felt the words leaving my lips without having really thought them, but I could tell from the look on Sluggy's face that he had literally no idea what the problem was. It was in this moment that I wished I had been much more diligent in my work these past few years, or that I had maybe let Lyla's grades take a bit of a dive before Christmas.

"I have to admit to you, Ms. Parker, that I am a little perplexed by this request. And while I was at first a little reluctant to have you work with your sister, seeing as I didn't really want to have a one-sided project happening," He gave me a pointed look, and had I not already been fuming, I would have felt a little offended, but I couldn't really blame him. I hadn't been the most studious in the past. "It seems to me that you would want to work with your sister, especially considering how well she has done in this class throughout the years."

"Sure, but," I started, trying to ignore the heated stares from the rest of my classmates. They were all watching, waiting for me to rat my own sister out, and even though I was furious with her for how she had acted towards me, I couldn't bring myself to do it.

"Without a proper answer, I'm going to have to ask you to continue on with your project, Alexa." His voice was stern, and I felt my stomach drop. I should have known this would be the case. Lyla was, after all, one of Slughorn's favorite students.

"Yes sir." I turned around, meeting Lyla's heated stare as I made my way back down to my seat. "Don't start with me," I murmured as I sat back down, but Lyla had already sat up, looking fit to kill.

"You are seriously the biggest bitch, Alexa. I can't believe you were about to 'tell on me.'" She used air quotes, rolling her eyes at me, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Are you being serious right now? You're the one that, and I quote, 'couldn't give a damn.' Don't you talk to me about being a tattle-tale. I don't want to spend a whole semester working with you when you're not going to pull your weight on this project. I need this class to get a job at the end of the year." I felt my fists clench, anger rolling off me in waves.

"Welcome to how I've felt having to drag you along for the last six and a half years, sister." Lyla countered. I saw Remus shift in his seat, sensing that things were about to take a turn for the worst. Lyla held up her hand to him, turning her fury against him too. "Don't you dare take up for her."

"I'm sorry I've been such a burden on your school work these past few years, Lyla. It must have been absolutely horrible for you to have me as a sister. But you haven't really been a peach to deal with lately either. You think it's easy to walk in the shadow of your older sister? Because it's not." Slughorn looked up from his desk as my voice started to rise, but I was too angry to stop.

Lyla, apparently, felt the same way. "Yes, you're right. So terribly sorry that I haven't moved on from the death of my child as easily as you, and everyone else, wish I would have. I'll just get on doing that, shall I? You live in this little fantasy world where everything is about you. Everything can't be roses and daisies. No one cares about your petty problems or what you want. You're not an adult and you've never been one, so why are you acting like you are? You can't help me, Alexa, so why don't you just leave me alone."

"You don't get to act like this. You don't get to make these decisions anymore because you're too far gone to make proper decisions. We're not asking you to move on, Lyla; we're begging you to let us help you. But you're too damn stubborn to see that. And I can't take it anymore. If you want to continue on like this, you're going to have to do it without me." I stood up from my seat, grabbing my books from the desk, and slinging my bag quickly over my shoulder. "Professor, may I be excused?"

Slughorn looked at me, dumbstruck, and I took his silence as a yes as I all but ran from the classroom. As soon as I opened the door to the dungeons, I heard the classroom erupt behind me, the gossip mills churning like crazy after one of the biggest fights I'd ever had with Lyla.

"So, that was definitely a one of a kind potions class." Blair had finally caught up to me in Herbology, after a whole free period of me doing nothing but drowning my sorrows in chocolate in the Room of Requirements. It hadn't done much to improve my mood, and the resulting stomach ache from all the sugar had proved how terrible the day was going. James sat on my other side, ignoring preparing for class to listen to Blair and I.

"Yes, well, what can I say? I like to live life on the edge sometimes." I sat back in my chair and folded my arms over my chest, trying to ignore the sting of emotion in the back of my eyes. I would not cry in class. "What did Sluggy say?"

"Detention, for both you and Lyla. There was nothing I could say to get you out of it." James piped in, looking apologetic.

"I figured that would be the case. Starting out the year strong only one class in. Hopefully we can make it through Herbology without any incidents." I tried lightening the mood, but James and Blair shared a look that had my stomach filling with dread. "What is that look for? Don't think I didn't see it."

"Look, Alex, we don't want to put a damper on the rest of your week, but you were going to find out anyway, so let me just lay it out for you now." Blair took a deep breath, and then rushed out all at once, "Your detention is this Saturday with Lyla."

"Saturday? What the hell?" I felt my eyes go wide at the prospect of spending the first Hogsmeade trip back to school in the dungeons with my sister. "Why couldn't he have just chosen Friday night? I'd rather have it on Friday night!"

"Something about learning how to get along, he said." James shrugged, then placed his hand on my shoulder. "We can try to break you out?"

I sighed, raking a hand through my hair before gathering it up into a ponytail. As class started, I shook my head, trying to focus on the lecture taking place at the front of the classroom. "Don't bother; I'm just going to have to deal."

Sirius was waiting outside the classroom when the class finished. He took one look at James and I, covered in dirt, and Blair, rolling her eyes as she held a plant in her hands. "I'm not sure if I want to know what's going on here."

"You probably don't, mate." James said, following Blair up the hill to the castle, where warmth was emanating from the windows and the smell of dinner being prepared had my stomach growling.

"So I probably shouldn't have spent my whole free period ignoring you," I started, as we began our trek. Sirius slipped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer. I leaned against him, his cologne smelling an awful lot like home. "I just needed some time to think things through and to keep myself from going crazy or lashing out."

"A very mature way to look at things. Besides, I bribed Blair to let me have the map back to check on you. I knew you weren't in any harm." He smiled down at me, and I snuggled closer, hoping he could feel the flush of warmth spread through my body at his smile. The love I felt for him in that moment intensified, blocking out the bad day I'd been having until I realized I was still going to have to see Lyla in Astronomy.

"Must be I'm getting better with age." I pushed the thought of the letter I had lost containing my instructions to join the Order away as we reached the castle. Walking inside, I felt my face and hands immediately warm up as the heat from the Great Hall welcomed us in. We walked to our usual spot at the Gryffindor table, and I glanced around to find that my sister was nowhere to be found.

While this wasn't unusual since November, it was a little worrying when I found that Remus was not here either. "Anyone know where Moons is?" James asked as we sat, and I shrugged, not having seen him since Potions. Blair shook her head, annoyance coloring her face at James' ridiculous question. He had been in the same class as us just moments before, but with his short attention span it didn't surprise me that he had forgotten.

"I don't see Moons, but I'm almost one-hundred percent sure that's Lyla over at the Ravenclaw table." Blair and James turned in their seats, as I leaned farther across the table to get a better look. Dodging getting my ponytail in mashed potatoes, I pushed it hurriedly away while my eyes took in the scene before me.

Lyla was chatting, her head thrown back in a loud laugh, with some of the most annoying Ravenclaw's in our year. She flipped her hair over her shoulder in an obvious imitation of someone who considered her a friend for the last seven years, and then looked over at us, catching Blair's expression with mirth in her eyes. I heard Blair's breath catch before she whipped around and faced her plate, tears in her eyes as she began to serve herself dinner. James turned back around to comfort her, doing his best to make her laugh, but I continued to look at my sister, my face hardening as I watched her smile and do a condescending wave to our group.

Biting back the words that were bubbling to the surface, I sat back onto the bench, and looked at Blair who had cracked a very small smile thanks to James. "She's just trying to get a rise out of us." She said as she caught me watching her. I grabbed a roll from the break basket, beginning to tear the soft inside out.

"Well, unfortunately for her, it's working. I don't know what she thinks she's doing but if she doesn't knock this shit out then I'll sic Gran on her and she'll wish she'd never been born." I sighed as Sirius took the roll out of my hands and put it on his plate. I ladled myself some soup into my bowl, looking at it with half-hearted interest. I had lost my appetite.

"If only it could be that simple," Remus said as he filtered into his seat next to me. His eyes lit upon his wife at the other table, and she avoided his look. "She didn't mean what she said to you earlier, Alex. You know that, right?" He looked worn, his eyes showing heavy bags underneath them, and I felt bad for my brother in law.

"I'm starting to believe she might." I said with a shrug, spooning some soup into my mouth for a lack of something better to do. "This time it's going to be a lot harder to say sorry."

Sirius gave me a sad look, and I brushed it off, knowing that I was sounding harsh but feeling that way made me feel better. I knew what Lyla was doing was out of self-defense, so she didn't have to feel sad and depressed, but it was getting to the point where her words were like a knife; each time she spoke them, they cut deeper, leaving more and more wounds on our friendship, on our relationship as sisters.

"I just want the old Lyla back," Blair said, and I let out a sad sigh as I nodded in agreement. There was another burst of giggles from further down the hall, and we all turned to watch as Lyla and the bitchy Ravenclaw's retreat from the hall. Lyla gave one more hair toss before she slipped out of our sight.

"I'm not hungry," Remus said, before he stood to go after Lyla. "I'll catch up with you all."

"Remus!" I called after him, but he ignored me, and I watched him go, off to try again to get Lyla to talk to him, to open up. I felt bad for him, knowing how much he loved and cared for her, and I wished that she'd let herself open back up and feel that way for him as well.

"There's got to be something we can do to make this better. Do you think talking to Dumbledore would make any difference?" James asked, running a hand through his messy hair, trying to figure out the best way to make this better. I shrugged my shoulders, pushing my bowl away and reaching instead for another roll. If I couldn't make things better, I could at least pull the stuffing out of a bread roll to make myself feel better.

"Maybe you could just give her a year's worth of detention. You are Head Boy after all." I said jokingly, but when no response came, I looked up to see James and Sirius looking deep in thought.

"You absolutely cannot do that, James. It's a gross overuse of power." I nodded along as Lily sat down beside me in Remus' vacated spot.

"You're trying to ruin all the fun, Evans, and if you're going to insist on doing that then I'm going to have to ask you to move along somewhere else." Lily rolled her eyes at Sirius, as I threw a wadded up piece of bread at him. Ducking, it flew behind him to land on the plate of a first year, who look startled.

"Sorry," I called down to him, and he looked over at us like he had just seen a ghost. "Tough crowd this year," I muttered, pulling another roll from the basket.

"I don't think decimating the bread at the table is going to make you feel better, Alexa." Lily said while gently prying the aforementioned piece of food from my grip. I sighed, crossing my arms over my chest and glancing around me at my friends.

"So what are we going to do then? Do we really think it's time to give up?"Blair gave me a sad smile before turning to look back down at her plate. I glanced at James, who wouldn't look me in the eyes, and then to Sirius who was facing me. "Sirius?"

"I hate seeing her like this, Alex. You know that I do; but how much more of this are we going to take before we realize that she doesn't want us to have anything to do with it? She needs her space, and we've tried everything we can to get her back. Maybe it's time for us to just let her come to us?" He placed his hand on mine, and I gave it a gentle squeeze.

"She's my sister," I said quietly, not really sure who was listening. There was a small tap on my shoulder, and Lily held out another roll towards me. Giving her the best smile I could muster, I took the roll, beginning my slow assault on its doughy body while I thought about what Sirius had said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	19. Rule 38: Quarreling (Of the Sibling Variety)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexa and I walked side by side all the way back to the common room. Not a word passed between us. We had always been comfortable in the silence. We used to be able to sit in silence for hours, each other’s company enough to feel connected. But now, the silence made my skin crawl, and I felt such distance even as our feet carried us to the same destination.

_Rule 38: Fighting with One's sibling is to be reserved for private. Never involve outsiders unless strictly necessary, and save all quarrels for a time when mediation is present. _Addendum: _In the case of the siblings Black, quarrels should be avoided entirely._

_Lyla's Point of View_

* * *

As I pushed open the door to the potion's classroom, I was met with the all too familiar outline of my sister. She sat at one of the desks in the front row, her legs crossed and she was inspecting the ends of her hair. For someone who couldn't manage to be on time for anything, I was truly surprised to see her sitting in detention a whole ten minutes early. While her tardiness annoyed me, her punctuality in this moment set my nerves on edge; as did most of the things she did these days.

I gave the door a firm push and let it slam shut behind me, in a more dramatic fashion than I had originally intended. Alexa shifted in her seat and immediately met my gaze with a roll of her eyes. Not giving me another thought, she returned back to the fascinating landscape of her split ends, and I took a seat a few rows behind her.

The tension and silence began to build to a suffocating level, and every move or sound either of us made, was countered by an annoyed huff from the other, as if we couldn't even stand each other's existence. Slughorn emerged from his office, with a slightly annoyed look on his face that told me he regretted doling out this detention on a Friday night, as it pulled him away from some dinner party I'm sure he was missing.

He reached the head demonstration table and shifted his weight to his arms as he leaned against the hard wood. "Ms. Parker, Mrs. Lupin, do you understand why you are here this evening?" he questioned. His inquiry was met with silence. Alexa peered over her left shoulder, clearly expecting me to say something. I begrudgingly crossed my arms across my torso, which sent Alexa into yet another eye roll as she turned back to Slughorn.

"Professor," Alexa began, "I understand that mine and Lyla's disagreement in class may have been a tad bit disruptive to the learning of our fellow classmates."

Before she could continue, Slughorn jumped in, a rather stern look on his face. "A tad bit disruptive is quite the understatement, Ms. Parker." I could physically see Alexa shrink back into her seat as Slughorn spoke to her. "You two were not only incredibly disrespectful to each other, but you disrespected me, and the institution of learning at large." I had to bite back the laughter that threatened to escape. As I brought my hand up to hide my smile, I could tell Alexa heard me as she tensed up. I just couldn't help myself, this was all becoming far too dramatic given my current mood.

Alexa leaned forward in her seat. "Let me be the first to say, that I am truly sorry for the disruption, and there was no intended disrespect to you, sir, or to the higher institution of learning," Alexa rambled.

Slughorn placed a hand over his heart and gave Alexa an accepting nod to her apology, then they both looked at me. "Mrs. Lupin, do you have anything to add?" Looking between the two of them for a few seconds, I shook my head no.

Alexa's eyes flashed with anger and Slughorn's stupid grin was replaced by a look of shock with just the faintest coloring of hurt. "Lyla, just apologize so we can get out of here," Alexa spat at me through gritted teeth.

"Why would I apologize?" I responded. "I meant every word I said, and I will not apologize for that. As far as disrupting the learning of my fellow classmates, I take no responsibility for their inability to grasp basic concepts. Besides, Alexa has taken it upon herself to apologize on behalf of me a lot these days, so why should I stop you now?"

Alexa violently spun around in her chair to fully face me. "If you would just stop acting like a total bitch to everyone, I wouldn't have to keep apologizing for you!" she countered.

"I never asked you to do it!" I told her, my voice rising in volume to match my body rising slightly out of my chair.

Slughorn slammed his hands on the desk. "Enough!" he cautioned. His voice had a tone that I had never heard from Slughorn before. "Now, I was going to make you clean cauldrons, but I fear that if I tasked you with that, someone would get hurt. I don't know what has come between the two of you, and I frankly don't need to know, but you two are going to sit in this classroom and work things out."

I scoffed at his attempt to force a reconciliation and slipped into a defensive, disinterested pose. "When I come back, I want to see happy faces on the pair of you. Is that understood?" Neither of us moved, but Slughorn took our silence as compliance. "And if I'm not sufficiently convinced, you two will be sitting in this classroom during every Hogsmeade trip for the rest of the term." Without another word, he made his way past the both of us and left us to our own devices.

"I hope you know that I have no intention of sorting things out," I clarified. "When Sluggy comes back we will put on our best happy family faces, and he'll be none the wiser. I for one, don't want to be stuck in a room with you while everyone trounces off to Hogsmeade."

Alexa turned to me, her eyes narrowed. "Believe me, I want that less than you do," she assured me. "Let's just get through today and then you can go back to ignoring all of us, especially me." I know she was looking for some protestation from me. She wanted me to tell her that I was sorry for how I'd been treating her, that I didn't hate her. And in truth, I didn't hate her. I hated myself, and I hated what I was doing to everyone I loved, but I couldn't stop myself. In the end, it was easier to push them all away to spare them from all the things I was trying to keep myself from feeling.

As I felt the warm sting of those godforsaken tears that routinely threatened my eyes, I pushed myself from the desk and began to wander around the classroom. I could feel Alexa following my every move, but silence continued to be the only thing between us. Passing by the door to the classroom, I heard movement on the other side. Surely Slughorn intended on torturing us for longer.

The door swung open and a group of Slytherins stumbled in, looking just as surprised to see us as Alexa and I were to see them. Among the group of boys were one of the Lestrange boys, a boy named Avery, Sirius's brother Regulus, and Snape. Upon seeing us, Lestrange's mouth pulled back into a sneer, and he walked forward, leading the group of boys further into the room. "Well, look what we have here, boys," he commented. "If it isn't Sirius Black's little trollop and her disgrace of a sister." They all let out a series of chiding remarks, egging him on.

My body began to fill with anger with every word he spoke. "How about you all kindly fuck off," I suggested, gesturing to the door from which they came.

Lestrange's face sharpened and narrowed in on me, closing the distance between us. "Looks like Lupin's wife has a bit of a mouth on her," he spoke to no one in particular. "You know, I heard about what happened to you," he told me, now only inches from me. "It's probably for the best. You halfbreeds, have no business procreating. That monstrosity you had in you is better off dead. If it had been born, it would have had a far worse fate to to face."

Without thinking, my hands met his chest and I pushed him back with all the strength I could muster. Lestrange stumbled back a few steps and the boys behind him quickly sprung into action. Before they could get to their friend's side, I had formed my hand into a fist and I felt a sharp sting of pain as my knuckles met Lestrange's cheek.

He steadied himself on a nearby desk with one hand and the other went to his face. I soon realized that my entire body was shaking, in part due to my rage, but also in awe of what I had just done. Alexa was watching me with wide eyes of concern. Lestrange rubbed at his face, where a bruise was already forming, and then straightened his body. "You little bitch," he spewed. He pulled his wand from his pocket and directed it right at my face. Just as quickly, Alexa stepped in between me and the tip of the wand.

"Look," she said, attempting to diffuse the situation that was unfolding. I peered around her slightly and saw that the boys behind Lestrange were all now palming their wands. "Things are starting to get a wee bit out of control. Slughorn is going to be back any minute, and I'm sure you lot aren't keen on having detentions for the next few Saturdays. So, why don't you just bugger off."

Lestrange lowered his wand and turned his back to us. He walked a few steps away and then slowed. "You know what, I think you need to be taught a lesson."

Before he could fully turn around, Alexa drew her wand and pointed it square at Lestrange. "Alarte ascendare!" she shouted with conviction. Lestrange's body flew up into the air like a ragdoll tossed by a child, but returned to the floor like a ton of bricks. Regulus went to retaliate, but Alexa and I both had our wands pointed at him now, and he reluctantly lowered his wand.

Pushing himself off the ground, Lestrange looked as if he was fit for murder. He glowered at us. "You will get what's coming to you. Things are changing," he cautioned. "Things are changing, and people like you and your little friends will know their place in this world." As they walked out of the classroom, I couldn't help but feel a little joy as I saw the slight limp in his walk.

Alexa returned her wand to her robes and let out the breath she had been holding. She looked over her shoulder at me with a look that combined both relief and annoyance. "This doesn't change anything," she informed me. "I don't forgive you for the things you said."

"I never asked for your forgiveness," I replied. Alexa shook her head in disappointment. "I guess we're both just waiting for apologies that will never come."

"And on that we can agree," she said. At that moment, Slughorn appeared in the doorway. Alexa and I put on our best faces, and lied our asses off to convince Slughorn of our reconciliation. You'd think we were award-winning actresses with how easily Slughorn bought our story, but he let us go with no further detentions to our names.

Alexa and I walked side by side all the way back to the common room. Not a word passed between us. We had always been comfortable in the silence. We used to be able to sit in silence for hours, each other's company enough to feel connected. But now, the silence made my skin crawl, and I felt such distance even as our feet carried us to the same destination.

I pushed the food around the plate with my fork as I listened to my lunch companions babble on about some boy or some new bit of gossip they had heard. In truth, I wasn't really listening. I never listened. I had been having lunch with these girls pretty regularly, and I couldn't even tell you their names. I looked up at the blonde across from me who was talking and studied her face. This one's name was J-something. Jane, maybe.

It ultimately didn't matter what any of their names were. I wasn't trying to make new friends, I was trying to piss off the old ones. And Merlin was it working. Even as a child, Alexa always wore her emotions on her sleeve and all over her face. You knew exactly how she was feeling at any given moment, just by looking at her. It's one of the things that made her a great sister and a great friend, but it also made it easy to find which buttons to push.

When I first started sitting with the Ravenclaws, Alexa's annoyance was clear, and that's exactly what I was looking for. So here I was, listening to blonde J-something tell yet another mundane story. But even I had my limits. I set my fork down and stood up from the table. "I need to go get some work done," I announced. The girls who sat around me looked confused at my abrupt departure, but nonetheless waved and insist that I meet up with them later. I wouldn't.

Because I could see Alexa, Blair and the Marauders watching me closely, I walked right past their table without saying a word and headed for the corridor. Once I was out of the Great Hall I readjusted the strap of my bag on my shoulder and continued on to the library. It only took minutes before I heard footsteps behind me, increasing their pace to catch up with me.

"Lyla," a familiar voice called after me. "Please wait." I didn't slow down, but nevertheless Remus caught up with me. Curse his long legs. "We missed you at lunch today." I shot him a look to let him know that I knew he was bullshitting me. Remus let out a sigh and ran his hand through his hair. "You don't have to keep doing this to yourself."

"And what exactly am I doing?" I questioned. Remus cursed under his breath and abruptly took my hand, pulling me behind him into an empty classroom. "Remus, let go of me," I demanded.

He closed the door to the dim classroom and physically blocked the exit with his body. "Dammit, Lyla," he started. "We are not leaving this room until you fucking talk to me." He looked at me with such determination and I could see in his eyes that he was not going to let this go.

I let my book bag slid off my shoulder and drop to the floor. I closed the distance between us, taking his hands in mine. "Oh, Remus," I said sweetly, placing his hands around my waist and taking his face into my own hands. "I just want to be with you right now," I whispered, placing my lips on his. As soon as Remus returned my advance, I deepened the kiss, my fingers sliding into his hair.

Just as quickly as things started to heat up, they suddenly cooled as Remus pulled away. He rested his forehead on mine and shook his head. "We need to talk about things," he said, refocusing on his initial mission. I immediately became defensive again and pulled out of his hold. He looked hurt, but I walked away anyways. "I can't live like this anymore, Lyla," he confessed, sadness in his voice.

"Most nights you are out wandering the castle, and on the rare nights that you are actually in our bed, it's like you aren't really there," he continued. "You are ignoring everyone who loves you, and when you do actually talk to anyone, it's just to pick a fight. I just want to help you." He came closer to me and I instinctively tried to step back, but I met resistance in the form of a desk. "You have to let me in. Let me in." He grabbed my arms just below the shoulders, pleading with me.

I could feel my cheeks becoming wet as I saw the pain on Remus's face. "I can't let you in," I told him, as a sob escaped. "I can't bear to let you feel this pain."

Remus shook his head. "I feel that pain, Lyla. I feel the loss and the grief, and I've had to feel it alone because you shut me out." He was angry, I could hear it. And he had every right to be. "You're right, no one else knows what you're feeling or what you're going through. But I do know that losing our daughter broke me. And if I had to be broken, I wanted to be broken with you, because I knew that we could put one another back together again."

I grabbed his arm as I felt my legs growing weaker and the sobs rolled through my body. He pulled me to him and held my head to his chest. "I'm so sorry, Remus," I wept. He held me until my trembling eased a bit and then I looked at him once again, the anger having left his face. "I didn't know what to do," I confessed. "I was so incredibly lost. I couldn't breathe. It was either I felt everything, or I felt nothing at all, and it was just so much easier to feel nothing. In the nothingness, there was no room for sadness or grief, but that also meant there was no room for any of you."

"Oh, my darling," he said as he pulled me into his arms once more. I held onto Remus with such desperation, I was sure I was leaving bruises on his skin under my fingers.

As my tears began to soak into the front of Remus's sweater, it was as if each one was trying to cleanse us of the darkness and ugliness that had consumed our life. "I am so sorry I hurt you," I whispered to my partner; the man who had vowed to love me in good times and in bad. While Remus continued to care for me and fight for me, I had completely shut him out of my life, and I felt a deep shame about that.

Remus just held me tighter. I felt him kiss the top of my head and we slipped back into silence. This silence was different now though. Instead of confining myself to a solitary silence, I had finally found the strength to let Remus share in the silence and nothingness with me. "I miss her every day," I confessed into the silence.

"I know, I miss her too," he responded.

I looked up at him and saw his loving eyes looking back at me. A question flashed into my mind that had plagued me for a while now. I pulled back from Remus and took a seat on a nearby desk. I focused on my legs dangling off the desk as I spoke, "Did you get to see her?" I asked him.

Remus let out a sigh and came to sit next to me on the desk. "I did," he told me. "They let me hold her after they took you away." He didn't meet my gaze. I saw the pain on his face and I realized it was so similar to the pain I had been feeling. "She was… she had already… by the time they gave her to me." My hand when up to my chest as a sob escaped. "I told her that her mum and I loved her very much, and that we would never stop loving her."

My hand took Remus's and I gave it a squeeze. "Charlotte," I told him. He looked at me with a confused and shocked look on his face. "I wanted to name her Charlotte." Remus started to cry now, and he brought my hand up to his mouth and gave it a kiss.

"Charlotte was beautiful, Lyla," he said with a small smile. "I'm so sorry you didn't get a chance to say goodbye. And thank you for letting me in. We will get through this together. We will heal." I nodded my head and returned his smile. He slid off the desk, pulling me with him. "How about we head back to the dorms?"

"I'd like that," I responded. Before he could get too far, I hesitated, causing Remus to stop. "I'm still not ready to talk to the others. I promise not to shut you out again, just please don't force the issue."

He nodded in agreement. "Deal."

"Now," Sirius started as he and James paced in front of Alexa and I. We were currently in mine and Remus's dormitory being chastised by our friends. "Do you think you two can get along this evening?" Alexa rolled her eyes and gave him a nod.

"Good," James added. I looked over to Remus who was sitting nearby shaking his head. "I don't mean to be dramatic, but tonight is kind of a big deal. For all of us. This is our first meeting with the Order, and we need to keep it together. Can we do that?" We all nodded our heads. "I'm going to need a verbal confirmation."

Sighing, I sat forward on the couch. "Yes, James, we can do that," I assured him. "Alexa and I will be on our best behavior. We understand that this is bigger than us."

"Damn straight is is," James said excitedly. "What time is it? Is it time to go?" He looked around at everyone in search of an answer.

James and Sirius had been looking forward to this Order meeting for a week now, it's all they could talk about. Blair looked down at her watch and then back at James. "We do not need to leave for another fifteen minutes," she told him. "Only five minutes less than the last time you asked me. I think the bigger question is whether or not the two of you are going to be able to keep it together?"

James wandered over to where Blair was sitting and he placed a his hands on her shoulders. Even though Blair and James had been separated for quite some time now, and James and Lily had started to explore their relationship, it was amazing how comfortable they still were with one another.

"My dearest Blair," James responded. "Sirius and I will of course conduct ourselves in a manner that would make Merlin himself proud. Dumbledore has trusted us all to be a part of this assembly of great witches and wizards, and that's something that we should all be proud of."

I shifted my body to the right slightly as Sirius came to join Alexa and I on the sofa. "As capable as I believe us all to be, I'm not really sure what Dumbledore expects a bunch of students to be able to contribute to the cause. I'm sure there are far more accomplished witches and wizards that he could find."

"I mean, we'll be graduating soon and become contributing members of society. We have as much a stake in this as anyone, maybe even more so," Sirius told her. "We are the future and we have to fight for a better world that is free from prejudice and bullshit ideas about purity of blood and all that."

I knew that this was a sore subject for Sirius, what with his family and all. As I looked around the room at all the people in my life, it really began to sink in what all was at stake. Voldemort spewed hatred and if his beliefs and ideals prevailed, there wouldn't be a place in his world for many of us. Alexa, Blair and I were products of a relationship between a magical person and a muggle, which polluted the purity of magical blood. Lily was muggle-born and largely considered to be an abomination. And Remus was a werewolf, whose place in society was precarious even on a good day.

It was easy to become complacent in the safe bubble that Hogwarts created around us, but outside the comfort of our hallowed halls, there was unrest and violence growing each and every day. The support behind Voldemort was increasing and there was a great need for a force for good to counteract all the hatred. None of us were quite sure what Dumbledore was going to ask of us, but I knew that whatever it was, I was going to do what I could to create a better world for us all.

"Well, we should probably get a move on," Remus said as he stood, holding up the invisibility cloak. As we made our way down to the common room, we stopped short of the portrait hole and huddled together under the cloak before we made our exit.

"James, mate, I thought one of the perks of you being Head Boy was that we wouldn't have to sneak around the castle like miscreants," Sirius muttered under his breath. "Not that I don't love being this close to all of you, but even this cloak has its limits when it comes to size."

From behind Sirius, Alexa reached her hand around and covered his mouth to quiet him. "If I had been on duty tonight, it wouldn't be a problem, but Lily is patrolling tonight, and we really can't risk being caught, especially because she thinks that I'm studying up in my room all night."

Blair let out a laugh. "If she gets suspicious, it will solely be because you told her you'd be studying all night. Who would believe that?"

James rolled his eyes and continued to lead us to the Room of Requirements using the Marauder's Map. As we stood in front of the seeming unremarkable wall, a large wooden door suddenly appeared. James looked both ways down the corridor, and when he saw that the coast was clear, he removed the cloak from above us and put it safely in the bag I had been carrying.

"Well, here goes nothing," Sirius said, reaching out to open the door. Inside of the room that Dumbledore had arranged for us, there was a smattering of other students inside. We all watched each other carefully, acutely aware of the reason that we were all there.

There were some some familiar faces around the room, most of which were fellow Gryffindors. Alice Fortescue and Frank Longbottom were on one end of the room talking with Caradoc Dearborn and the Prewett brothers were there as well. We all exchanged nods as we waited to see what happened next. All Dumbledore had told us was to meet in the Room of Requirements and to wait for further instructions.

"What a crew," Blair whispered. "I wonder what the criteria was to get into the Order."

"Yeah," Alexa said trailing off in thought. "Speaking of, James, why isn't Lily here? I would have thought she'd be an obvious choice for this elite assembly of students."

James shrugged his shoulders and crossed his arms. "I'm not entirely sure," he answered. "As far as I know, Dumbledore hasn't mentioned anything to her, and I haven't said anything because I didn't want to blow our cover. Dumbledore must have this all planned out though, so who am I to question."

We all accepted James's answer for what it was, seeing as we were all pretty much in the dark about this all. A few more minutes passed and there was still no sign of Dumbledore. I wandered over to a nearby painting of a young girl and studied her expression.

She had kind eyes and a peaceful but sad look on her face. She was holding a book and was wearing a beautiful blue frock. As I contemplated the story behind this portrait, I swear I saw the slightest change in her face, now sporting a small smile.

Alexa appeared beside me, and I pulled my gaze away from the portrait. "I'm starting to think Dumbledore forgot about us," she casually mentioned. "He's a great wizard and all, but it wouldn't be the first time he got totally sidetracked by something. We don't even know what we're supposed to be waiting for."

Almost as if Dumbledore had been listening, the girl in the portrait began to move. She turned her back to Alexa and I and began to walk away moving further away into the world that her portrait depicted. Alexa turned to me with a raised eyebrow and then back to the portrait.

We eventually lost sight of the young girl, and after a few moments she slowly returned and came back into the foreground. She gave us a knowing smile and then resumed the position she had been in before. The portrait swung open and revealed a passageway with the faintest light at the other end.

"Umm, guys," Alexa spoke out to the room, "I think this is what we've been waiting for." Everyone else in the room came to stand behind Alexa and I, as we all peered down the passageway. No one made a move, perhaps it was because we all knew that we'd no longer just be Hogwarts students after this first meeting; or we were all just a bit skeptical of a dark secret tunnel that magically appeared.

Remus stepped past me and took my hand in his. He gave it a squeeze and stepped into the passageway leading the way. We all walked silently and cautiously. The dim light that we had seen initially grew brighter and brighter with every step. We could also hear the dull sound of people talking.

The light was coming through another open portrait hole and as we got closer, the sounds grew louder. Through the opening I could see a small set of stairs and and the warm glow of candlelight.

Right on cue, Dumbledore appeared in the portrait hole, a twinkle in his eye. "Welcome, right on time." Remus let me exit the passageway first and I cautiously made my way down the stairs that led into an open room.

There were a few witches and wizards scattered around the room, all of them watching us closely. We all filed in and stood huddled together, not really sure of our place in all this. "Let's all take a seat and we will commence this meeting."

Taking our seats around the large table, Professor McGonagall sat across from me and gave me a small serious smile. We soon learned that the Order was also comprised of esteemed wizards such as Kingsley Shacklebolt, Alastor Moody, Dumbledore's brother Aberforth and our very own Hagrid.

Dumbledore explained that this was the just the beginning. Voldemort was garnering support, and there were increasing attacks on muggle-borns and muggles all across Britain. Things were changing and we had to be vigilant. While we were still in school, we were not to engage in any formal Order missions.

But it was stressed that we were crucial to the success of the Order and its mission to protect all, magical people and muggles alike, from the vitriol of the pureblood movement. Until the time came for us all to become full participants in the Order, we would meet periodically to be kept abreast of what's going on.

"We are entering into dark times," Dumbledore stated matter-of-factly. "You embody the light that will help lead us out of the darkness. There will be times when you will want to quit. In truth, there are easier roads to travel. But you have chosen the path of compassion and justice. Never forget that. Know that you are fighting for one another. You are fighting for your future."

I let out a weighted breath. The realities of this world were becoming abundantly clear and we were about to be right in the middle of it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	20. Rule 93: Man with the Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Because I’m not the one who lost my letter, am I?” He rolled his eyes at me, and then stood from the table. “Come on, I’ll go with you to ask her tonight when we get finished with dinner. We have rounds at 8, and you can come with us for the first part.”

_Rule 93: When Moony is the 'Man with the Plan' it is safe to assume that the 'Plan' is a guaranteed success. When Padfoot or Prongs is in charge, it is safe to assume that further planning may be needed. Wormtail has lost his 'MwtP' privileges after the 'Incident' which will no longer be spoken of starting right now._

_Alexa's Point of View_

* * *

"James," I looked at the boy in question, eyes wide as he continued to ignore me for the essay in his lap. "James!" His eyebrows furrowed and his nose wrinkled as he heard me, but other than that there was no sign he was listening to me. Deciding to pull out the big guns, I took a quick glance around the library, hoping no one else was around. "James Potter if you don't give me your undivided attention I will tell everyone in this library about what happened between you and Blair during the infamous Hogsmeade trip."

"Alexa, I swear to Merlin, you are the most annoying friend I've ever had. And that includes your boyfriend as well." He said, sighing and giving up on his essay. He shoved the parchment haphazardly in his bag, and then leant back in the armchair he was occupying. "What could you possibly need that cannot wait until I'm done?"

Sighing, I sat down next to him, making him scooch over. "This armchair really wasn't made for two people, was it?" I asked as I tried without success to get comfortable. Seeing I wasn't about to give up, James threw his hands up in defeat and sat on the floor. Smiling happily to myself, I pulled my legs up under me and rearranged my skirt before continuing. "You're really not as fun now that you're Head Boy. My old best friend would have been much more accepting to being interrupted while he was doing work."

"You have stolen my spot; you have interrupted me; and now you've insulted me. If you don't hurry up and tell me what this is all about, I'm going to gather my things and leave you alone in the library." Trying to look stern, he crossed his arms over his chest and waited while I chewed on my bottom lip, nervousness replacing my need to be annoying.

"Look, if I tell you this, you can't be mad. I'm coming to you because Sirius will tell me it means I'm not responsible enough to join the Order and Blair is on a date." My eyes widened as James' did, and I bit my tongue. "Pretend I didn't say that."

"I most certainly will not. But first, tell me what this is all about." James abandoned crossing his arms for leaning forward in interest and I leant down to maintain privacy.

"I may have accidentally, without meaning too, and only very briefly set down my invitation to the Order and never picked it back up again because when I remembered it, it was far too late to pick it back up again." I waited for him to freak out, but he only leaned away from me and shook his head with a slight laugh. "Why are you laughing? This isn't funny!"

"You really had me going, Alex. But I see what you're doing. Tell me some outrageous lie so I forget about the fact that Blair is on her first date since we broke up. I'll have to admit that you had me going for a moment, but in the end, it's really impossible to best the James Potter." He ran a hand through his hair, looking at me in amusement.

"First of all, this isn't her first date since you all broke up. Second of all, it's not really any of your business if she dates or not. And third of all, I'm not lying. I seriously lost my Order letter and I have no clue where it is, or if anyone could have stumbled in and found it." I was getting heated with James, for not believing me and for not having the same sense of urgency I felt about the matter.

"You really did lose it?" James asked, skeptically. I nodded in the affirmative. "And you're not just doing this to distract me?" Again, I nodded. "Alexa, what the hell?"

"Shh!" I looked around frantically, but there was no one that seemed to be in the library during this cold and gray February day. "Don't be so loud. If someone hears, we're screwed."

"We're screwed? I have nothing to do with this one, so don't drag me down with you!" James said, standing and gathering his bags. I pulled on the strap to his satchel before he could get too far away.

"Where the hell are you going? You can't leave me to deal with this on my own. Dumbledore will eat me alive for this one, James. I cannot go to Azkaban because I let out one of the secrets I was meant to take to my grave." I felt a cold sweat come over me at the thought that I would have to take this to Dumbledore. James removed my hand from his bag, grabbing my wrist instead and hauling ass out of the library. I followed along, each moment becoming more and more panicked, until he pulled us into a small unused classroom a few meters down from the library.

"First of all, we can't be talking about this in the open like that. Also, you're not going to be sent to Azkaban because we are going to start thinking about this rationally and we will find the letter before anyone else finds out. Now, where did you last see it?" James sat at one of the tables, and I joined him as I tried to take deep breaths and calm my breathing.

Thinking back to the day of my seventeenth birthday, I tried to remember all the details. "Well, the letter arrived the morning of my birthday, as I was getting into the shower. Cleo was at the window so I took the letter and she flew off to wherever it is that she goes when she's not delivering me mail." James gave me an exasperated look and I quickly continued. "I'm pretty sure I didn't take the letter into the shower with me, so I must've put it back in my room, although I can't remember for sure if I did that or not? And then I went to Hogsmeade with you and Sirius; and hung out with Sirius when I got back."

"And did you mention the letter to anyone after you got it?" James asked, and I bit the inside of my cheek in concentration.

"Not that I remember. I don't think I told you I'd gotten it, did I?" James shook his head no, and I put my head in my hands, trying to keep the panic from rising again.

"You don't remember telling Sirius anything about it that afternoon?" He asked, running a hand over his face as he thought about our current choices in what to do next.

My face flamed red as I looked at my best friend, squirming in my seat. "There wasn't really time to discuss things." I avoided his eyes, and James made a part-embarrassed, part-disgusted look.

"I'm sorry I asked." He said, and I gave him my best stern look before shaking my head. "We're going to have to ask him if he remembers you telling him about it. And then you're going to have to ask Blair if she's seen the letter as well."

Lunging forward, I stopped him from getting up from the table. "We can't tell Blair, and we most certainly cannot tell Sirius. He will be so mad at me, James. Like crazy mad. He doesn't want me in the Order anyway, remember?"

James contemplated our actions, and then nodded to himself. "Then the only thing left to do is ask the only other girl that sleeps in the Seventh-Year Gryffindor Dorms." I furrowed my eyebrows at him, and tried to understand what he was saying. When it clicked, the feeling of dread in my stomach rose once more.

"Lily." I whispered out, wondering just how much trouble I'd be in if she had my letter, or if she figured things out before I could find it myself. "Why can't you just do it yourself?" I questioned, picking at the wood that was chipping away from the old table.

"Because I'm not the one who lost my letter, am I?" He rolled his eyes at me, and then stood from the table. "Come on, I'll go with you to ask her tonight when we get finished with dinner. We have rounds at 8, and you can come with us for the first part."

I nodded, feeling worse than I did before I told James. "If I'd known you were going to make me be responsible with this, I would have waited for Blair." I said, following him out the door. A few students milling about in the hallway looked at us, but I ignored it in favor of following James back to the Common Room.

"It's being Head Boy that's doing this to me. I haven't participated in a prank in so long. You've no idea how much it pains me." He said in a mournful voice. I patted him on the shoulder, then shoved my hands into my robe.

"I know. Sirius has been driving me up the wall talking about how he misses the carefree life of last year. To which I must remind him that this time last year, we were dating and broken up about six different times, Remus was trying to fight a teacher, and Lyla was maybe/maybe not pregnant. So, things have really changed in both good and bad ways." I sighed at the thought of my sister, and then shook off the worry, resolved to be mad at her for the foreseeable future. My heart twanged a little, but I brushed the feelings away.

"Yes, and Blair and I were still together." He said it so casually that I knew he was about to ask me about her, and I looked over at him to see the pensive look on his face. "Speaking of, who is this bloke that Blair is seeing anyway?" His nonchalant attitude was slightly ruined by the fact that he was methodically running his hand through his hair and adjusting his crimson and gold tie around his neck.

"James," I warned, but he only shrugged, motioning for me to go on. "He's a Hufflepuff Sixth year, I'm not one hundred percent sure of his name, but I know that she just thought it would be a nice time. I think they were just going for a walk or something."

James nodded, then looked down at me curiously. "And are they serious?" He tried to phrase the question in a friendly manner, but I could tell it pained him slightly to ask.

"I don't really know. She didn't seem like she was too taken by him, to be honest. I think she just wanted to have someone to hang out with. It gets hard to be constantly surrounded by couples." I shrugged, trying to figure out James' angle when he wouldn't look at me. "Don't take offense to this, Jamesy, but why exactly do you care?"

I grabbed his hand before he could run his hands through his hair again, forcing him to look at me right outside of the portrait hole. "I just want her to be happy, Alex. Just because we didn't work as a couple doesn't mean that we can't still work as friends." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself of the same point, but before I could ask, he had muttered the password and slipped away through the portrait hole into the Common Room.

Staring after him briefly, I pulled a face at the Fat Lady and hurried inside before she could swing shut on me. I caught the tail-end of James' robe ascending around the corner of the stairs, and changed my direction towards where Remus and Sirius were sitting over by the fire.

"What'd you do to Prongs, Al? He seemed rather upset when he came charging through here just moments before you." Sirius gave me a curious look, pulling me by the hand so I fell over the side of his chair and into his lap. Struggling to get up, I huffed and blew my hair out of my face before digging my elbow into his thigh. He let out a yelp, and unceremoniously dumped me into the floor.

"Prick!" I muttered, dusting myself off and then positioning myself more comfortably on the arm of the chair he was sitting in. "And I don't know what's wrong with James. You know how he gets when he goes too long without pulling a prank." I said, trying to change the subject as I finger-brushed my hair into some semblance of a style.

Wrapping his warm arm around my waist, Sirius pushed his head into my hip and laid there for a moment. Then looking back up at me with his dazzling gray eyes (I try to stay immune but there's only so much I can take), he shook his head at me. "I don't believe you, love." I rolled my eyes at him, looking towards Remus to escape his charm. Remus glanced up at me from the chessboard that was between himself and Sirius, and shrugged his shoulders.

"You're too nonchalant when you lie, Alexa. You always look like you're trying to melt into the floor from being so cool." I looked at my Brother-in-Law in mock outrage before resigning myself to the truth. While I was the master of all things stealth, I was a pretty poor liar.

"Fine, but if you all tell him I told you this, then he'll kill me and I'll come back from the dead and haunt you for the rest of your life." I looked at each boy in turn, and almost as if they were the same person, they rolled their eyes and nodded together. "He found out that Blair is on a date and he wasn't very happy about it."

Remus and Sirius kept their faces passively blank, and I immediately knew that something was up. Opening my mouth to say something, I was cut off as James walked back downstairs. Closing my mouth and turning to look at him, I gave him a tentative smile, and was rewarded with a patented James Potter grin. "What are you lot being so serious about?" He nudged Sirius with a wink at the overused pun, and then dropped onto the couch. "Remus, mate, looks like you're thrashing him as always."

I narrowed my eyes, trying to decide what had changed this shift in James, and then decided that I probably didn't want to know. "You know Moony, Prongs. The ever-skillful chess master that he is." Sirius made a move on the chessboard that immediately lost him the game, and then pulled me back into his lap while James and Remus faced off.

Resigning myself to my seat, I settled in to pass the last few hours of our Sunday warm and cozy in Sirius' arms before dinner, where ultimately, I would have to either fake death or a life-threatening illness to get out of talking to Lily about my missing letter. Either way, it wasn't going to be pretty.

"Hey Lily, I think that Alexa has something she wanted to ask you." I felt the sip of pumpkin juice I had just taken a drink of catch in my throat as James smirked at me and shrugged his shoulders. If he hadn't been across the table I would have throttled him with his own tie.

"Of course." Lily said with a smile, turning her attention towards me. "What can I help you with, Alexa?" I tried to smile back at the redhead, but the wheels in my head were turning faster than I could speak. I could tell that Blair was staring at me from her spot next to me, as Sirius tried to figure out what I wanted to ask from James. It wasn't like me asking a question was that big of a deal, but when I didn't really even talk to Lily all alone it seemed a little suspicious. Plus, James bringing it out into the open at dinner made it seem even more so.

"It's nothing major, really. Just something small about the, uh, the homework in potions." I smiled to myself, satisfied that I had blown off the questioning glances coming my way.

Lily put down her fork, turning fully towards me now that I had her attention. "Sure, what question did you need help with?" Cursing my inability towards forward thinking, I closed my eyes and then formulated my plan, never mind the fact that I looked like an absolute wanker.

"Well, actually, I don't have my homework with me, but maybe we could talk about it later when we get back to the Common Room?" I avoided Sirius' eye as I could tell he could see right through my facade. Lily nodded at me, then turned to James to talk to him about their rounds tonight. As I pushed my fork through my mashed potatoes, I felt Sirius nudge me with his foot under the table. Glancing up at him, I shrugged at his questioning stare, and then looked away. This, however, caused me to catch Lyla's glare from down the table. Figuring I had nowhere left to look, I grabbed my schoolbag from the floor and stood up. "I think I'll retire to the Common Room for the night." I announced.

My friends looked up at me like I was crazy, and I bit my lip before tipping an imaginary hat at them all and cursing myself for acting like an idiot. As I hustled my way out of the Great Hall, headed for the stairs, I heard footsteps behind me, and then someone grasped my hand, winding their fingers between mine.

"So, you're acting like a crazy person." I rolled my eyes up towards Sirius, who was smiling down at me. Snaking my bag off my arm so he could carry it for me, he then replaced his hand that was holding mine and swung his arm around my shoulders, pulling me in closer. I leaned my head against his chest, breathing in a sigh before I looked up at him.

"These are all perks of dating me, Mr. Black. I thought you would have realized that by now." He rolled his eyes at me, then leant down at pressed a kiss to my lips.

"What do you say to begging off homework tonight. I know plenty of secret passages we haven't explored in a while." He grinned lecherously at me, and I shoved him in the side before pulling him back towards me with an arm around his waist. He took this as an invitation and somehow, we ended up behind a conveniently placed suit of armor, lips very close but not fully touching.

"I really need to get some work done tonight, Sirius; and if I don't ask Lily this question then James is going to be pissed at me." I tried to hold on to my intelligent reasoning as my boyfriend hummed in agreement, his actions contradicting his assertions as he trailed light kissed down my jaw and neck.

"I'm sure James will get over it." He said, moving one hand to my hip and the other to the wall next to my head, trapping me in his bubble of personal space. As his lips traveled back up towards my own, I found it hard to think of a reason why I shouldn't stay right here for as long as Sirius would like.

Right before our lips touched, however, he was pulled away from me, and I opened my eyes to see a very annoyed looking Head Boy and Girl. "Damnit, James." I said, crossing my arms over my chest as my face flamed red.

"Just because you lot are my friends doesn't mean you can just lurk in corridors doing all manner of ill deeds." He rolled his eyes at me, and I glared back at him while Sirius shook his head at his best friend and ran a hand through his short hair.

"Prongs, I'm really going to have to beat your ass if you keep interrupting us." He winked at me, and I shoved out from behind the suit of armor, grabbing my bag back from Sirius and starting up the corridor towards the common room. They caught up with me easily, however, and as Sirius leaned down to place a kiss to the top of my head, I decided it would be harder to be mad at them than to just get over it.

"Yes, well, Alexa and I have important business with the Head Girl here so if you'd stop trying to be inappropriate in the hallway then I wouldn't have to keep interrupting you." James rolled his eyes, and then playfully shoved Sirius.

"You're just angry because the only action you're getting lately is breaking up other peoples." Sirius joked, winking at James who gave him an unamused face in return. "And now, I'm afraid I must bid you adieu. Moony and I have plans elsewhere in the castle." Backing away from us, Sirius went into a deep bow and then raised back up, turning away and whistling a jaunty tune.

"Don't think this means you'll be let off easily if you get caught," Lily called after him, but he only waved a hand in response, never turning around to look back at us. I rolled my eyes, hoisting my forgotten bag up and over my shoulder and felt myself smile involuntarily at the antics of my boyfriend. Despite how annoying he could be at times, he did make me forget my problems, like, say, the fact that I was about to have to ask Lily if she knew anything about my missing Order of the Phoenix letter.

The three of us walked in amicable silence for a while before we reached the Portrait of the Fat Lady, and then we paused outside of the door. James was giving me the international 'bring it up' face, while I tried to think of a suave way to put things. Biting my lip, I turned to look at Lily, who was looking between the two of us like we were acting strange, which, admittedly we were.

"So, Lils, do you mind if I call you Lils?" I started, after she nodded I forged on, ignoring James who was rolling his eyes at my nonchalant-ness. "So Lils, I was thinking that it might be good for me if I went on rounds with you and James tonight. You know, scare some sense into me so that I can scare some sense into Sirius as it were."

"That's fine with me if it's all right with James, though I'm not sure how much good it will do this late in your school career." She smiled at me, then motioned towards the Fat Lady. "Do you want to drop your bag off inside before we get going?"

"Nah, I'll just drop it here. It'll be fine." As I made to take my bag off and set it at the foot of the portrait hole, James grabbed it from me and then gave me an exasperated look.

"This is why you're always losing shit, Alexa." His look changed to a very pointed one, and I sighed heavily before pulling my wand from my robe pocket and banishing the bag to what I hoped was my room.

"Happy?" I asked, stowing my wand away and then placing my hands on my hips.

"Ecstatic," James retaliated. Before we could continue with our usual banter, however, Lily interrupted us.

"Why don't we go ahead and get started?" She asked happily, and I put my hands up in a truce with James. It didn't stop me from nudging him slightly when she turned away from us though. He held up a hand like he was going to beat me up, but I rolled my eyes at him and hurried to catch up with Lily.

"So, like James was saying earlier, I am pretty prone to losing things when I'm not fully focused on my business. Like, say, just the other day I put a letter down in the dorms and it's gone missing." Lily nodded with me, looking over at me questioningly. "I guess what I'm asking is if you perhaps saw it?"

My hopeful expression was dashed as Lily paused to think. "When did you lose it?" She asked, seeming none-the-wiser to the situation. I bit my lip, trying to not seem as crazy as I'm sure I would look.

"Well, it's been missing since, oh I don't know, maybe December? December 12th to be exact actually." Lily's eyes widened at my confession, and then she swung around to look at James, who only shrugged.

"Alexa, it's February now. You do realize that it has been two months since you lost this letter?" I smiled innocently at her and she sighed before running a hand through her long red hair. "I haven't seen it, and I'm going to say it's safe to assume that it's probably lost by now."

I looked over at James, panic overtaking my expression. If Lily really hadn't seen it, then I was definitely up shit's creek without a paddle. It could be anywhere in the castle by now. In anyone's hands for any nefarious purpose. I tried to slow my breathing, but found that instead I was starting to hyperventilate. Good looking out, Alexa.

"Lily, if you'll excuse us a moment." James said, steering me away by the shoulders. We walked a few paces from Lily, who was giving us a look that said she obviously needed better friends, until we were out of earshot. "You've really shit the money bed this time, my friend."

"James, this is not the time for chastisement." He raised his eyebrows in a slightly impressed look. "Yes, I know big words too. Whoo-hoo. What are we going to do?"

Releasing a sigh, James brushed his hair out of his eyes, raking the short strands up into disarray in the process. "Look, we'll keep an eye out for it, and for anyone acting suspicious around us. If anyone brings up the Order then we'll know that they have the letter, and we can do damage control from there. At this point, we don't know if anyone has even seen it. The house elves very may have just thrown it away thinking it was trash."

I nodded along, feeling slightly relieved at James' reasoning. "Okay, but under no circumstance do we tell Sirius or the others about what's going on. Agreed?" I gave him my best 'pretty please' look and he nodded back, sticking his hand out for me to shake it. Ignoring him, I pulled him into a hug instead. "You're one of my best friends, James. I don't know what I'd do without you."

James hugged me back, then patted my head. "Same goes for you, Alex." With that, we released each other and walked back towards Lily.

"Any who," I started, pretending to look at my left wrist even though I very clearly did not have a watch on it. "I better get going. Thanks for the talk, Lils. James, I'll see you later."

"But you didn't ask your Potions questions, Alexa." Lily called after me and I waved goodbye jauntily as I continued my way down the corridor. "James, are you sure she's all there in the head?" I heard Lily ask as I rounded the corner away from them. Laughing to myself, I listened as they kept walking, James trying to explain my numerous intricacies. I was almost back to the Common Room when I heard pounding footsteps behind me.

Turning around, I narrowly missed being trampled by Remus as he swung into the portrait hole that had just opened as he shouted the password at the Fat Lady. I opened my mouth to ask what was going on, and was unceremoniously grabbed around the waist and shoved forward into the Common Room as well.

"Sirius Black, you unhand me right this instance!" I demanded, feeling myself be dragged along until we were in the light of the room.

"Well, if that doesn't bring back happy memories I don't know what does." I heard Blair say from her spot on one of the plush couches. I smiled at my friend, who looked like she'd just settled into the Common Room from her date, thinking of all the many times I had probably shouted the same thing when Sirius and I were skirting around each other last year.

"I'll have you know Alexa and I have been happily together with no 'offs' since July, Ms. Winchester." Sirius said in a haughty voice. He gave me one last squeeze before unhanding me and making sure the portrait hole was shut completely. Remus stood beside him, catching his breath but remaining vigilant at the door as well.

"Okay, really, what is going on?" Blair said, standing from her spot and putting her magazine down. I shook my head in confusion, turning to look at the boys as they continued to act suspiciously. It felt nice when the shoe was on the other foot and people weren't watching me that way.

"All I know is I was making my way back to the comfort of my warm bed when I was almost killed by my loving Brother-in-Law and this lummox." I said, using my hand to wave over at the two Marauders.

"I resent you calling Padfoot a lummox, Alex. He very nearly just completed one of the greatest pranks of all time without getting caught." Remus said, looking very satisfied with their actions.

"Very nearly being the key words here," Sirius added, winking over at us, his smile sparkling as he did so. I rolled my eyes, but felt my heart speed up a bit. Not that I'd give him the satisfaction of knowing. We may have a loving, healthy relationship now but there was no need to stroke his ego that much.

"So, what did you do?" Blair said, her excitement palpable as the Fat Lady could be heard telling someone outside the door that they were not allowed to enter seeing as they weren't Gryffindors.

Remus and Sirius stepped away from the door finally, walking quickly over to the couch Blair had just vacated. Sitting down and pulling a worn piece of parchment from his robes, Sirius spread it out on the table while Remus tapped his wand to the paper and said the incantation. Hastily, they both looked at each other before wrapping the parchment up and springing up from their seats.

"No time to talk, Blair-bear." Sirius said, scrambling for the stairs to the seventh-year dormitories. Remus was already walking swiftly towards the door that would lead him out of the room and towards his and Lyla's private rooms. As Sirius disappeared around the corner, the door to the Common Room swung open, and Blair and I watched as McGonagall came striding into the room, what looked to be a night cap askew on her head and robes billowing behind her.

"Ms. Parker, Ms. Winchester. Where are they?" She demanded and I tried to keep the smile from my face as I shrugged my shoulders. Blair widened her eyes to look more innocent, and squeezed her palms together in what looked to be a bid to stop her giggling.

"They ran in and ran out, Professor, without saying anything about where they were going." I said, trying to keep my cool. McGonagall stared at us, and then swung around, striding back out of the room. Before she left fully, however, she turned back to look at us over her shoulder.

"When you do see them, and I have no doubt in my mind that you know where they are, tell them they have a week's worth of detention with Professor Flitwick, starting tomorrow night." With that she swept out of the room, the door closing shut behind her.

Blair and I looked at each other, laughter bursting from us as we sat down on the couches and waited for them to reappear. "Is she gone?" I heard Sirius ask timidly from the stairs. Nodding at him, I watched as he crept out of hiding and back into the room fully. People ignored us pretty fully, save for a few of his fans that watched just a few meters away.

"Seriously, what did you all do? I can't take the suspense." Blair said through her laughter as Sirius flung himself down onto the couch opposite of where we were sitting. Draping an arm over his eyes dramatically, Sirius let out a 'woe is me' sigh and then peeked out from between his fingers.

"We may or may not have followed Snivellus and a few of his more unsavory friends into Flitwick's classroom where they were serving detention. And we may or may not have charmed the desks in said classroom to bark like dogs and follow them around, eventually cornering them." I held my questions, trying to see where this was going. Sirius, knowing he had a captive audience, continued the drama. "And then we may or may not have sent a few hexes their way causing Knott to soil himself and Snivellus to become more nose than boy."

"Sirius, you are literally going to die before you make it to graduation if you keep messing with them." Blair said through tears of laughter. I felt myself involuntarily laughing as well, the image of our Slytherin torturers going through this torture more than I could pretend to be mad at.

"I wish I could say that I was disappointed in you, but the image of this happening is too good." I said, finally breaking down into hysterics as well. As Blair and I tried to catch our breath, James and Lily came through the portrait hole. James was sporting the biggest smile I had seen on him in a while, while Lily looked reprimanding.

"Padfoot, you honor our name well. And where is Moony, I need to congratulate him as well," James said, coming over to shake Sirius by the shoulder and mess up his hair. They gave each other a boisterous hug, while Lily rolled her eyes and came to sit on one of the couches we had commandeered.

"They'll be in trouble their whole lives, won't they?" She asked, a small smile finally gracing her features.

"Unfortunately for us, I think so." I said, leaning back into the couch and picking up Blair's forgotten magazine as I let the worries of the day be washed away by the barking laughter and happy smiles around me.

_James' Point of View_

"Boys, we need a plan." I looked over at Remus from my position on the stool that surrounded the Guide and the Map, wondering what we could possibly need a plan about. Sirius nodded along happily to Remus' suggestion, while Peter looked between the three of us with apprehension.

"Chillax, Wormtail, what with me being Head Boy and all, any nefarious activity ol' Moony could be thinking of will surely not be enough to get any of you expelled," I winked at my small friend, who nodded nervously. "What kind of plan did you have in mind, Moons?"

I couldn't help the excitement that seemed to be coursing through my veins at the suggestion that a possible prank could be pulled. It had been too long since I had been involved in something big, and Remus and Sirius' prank from earlier had made me a little sad. While I was happy my friends were following the Guide, and keeping with the Marauder's Code in my absence, I couldn't help but want to be right there with them. Lily's words of 'maturity' and 'setting an example' however, rang in my head as well. And a marauder torn two ways did not make for a happy James Potter.

"James, are you listening?" The hand that was snapping in my face brought me back to attention, and I shoved Sirius on his stool so he had to right it quickly or risk falling over. Smirking over at him, I ignored his rude finger while focusing back on Remus.

"Yes, you were saying Messer Lupin?" I grinned at him, and he rolled his eyes before he motioned between himself and Sirius.

"We've been talking lately, and I know that a lot of the things that Lyla has said and done have not gone over well with some of our group." I nodded along, thinking of the last time Lyla and Alexa talked. It had not gone well. I felt a wave of sympathy wash over me for the tired look on Remus' face.

"And we totally get why she's been acting the way she has, Reems. It's been a tough few months for her, and for you," I said, reaching across the small circle we had made and patting him on the shoulder.

"I know, and I don't know what I would have done without you all there. But my point is, that Lyla has been opening up to me a lot more lately, and she seems to be on a good path. She's not drinking anymore, and she's been sleeping much better and going to class the majority of the time," Remus continued, looking over to Sirius to continue the story. I turned my attention to my best friend, as Sirius ran a hand through his hair.

"So, what we were thinking is that now that Lyla is on the mend, it's time for her and my wonderful other half to get the show back on the road and to do this they're going to need our help." He smiled knowingly, and I shook my head at him.

"And you don't think that Alex is going to push you off the Astronomy tower for making these suggestions?" I laughed at the image of Alexa, short but strong in her fury, her wild curls all around her as she threatened Sirius with the end of her wand. He shuddered at what I'm assuming was the same image.

"That's precisely why I'm not going to tell her what we're doing, Prongs." Sirius said, an innocent look on his face that quickly devolved into one of mischief.

"The plan so far is to get them both together for the continuation of the Epic Hide and Go Seek game of last semester. We'll say that everyone playing has to be on the same team, and in doing so we'll make sure that Alexa and Lyla are together for the game." I frowned a little, trying not to think of who Blair was partnered with for the last game. As I reminded myself that we were no longer dating and that Matt Whatever was not her new boyfriend, Remus continued speaking, thinking my confused look was related to the topic of his wife. "Sirius and I will stay close to the girls, making sure they don't kill each other in the process."

"They're both insanely competitive, especially when it comes to beating the likes of us at anything, so we're hoping they'll bond over that." Sirius said, looking happy at the prospect of the whole group being back together again.

"And if they don't decide to be best friends again?" Peter asked, speaking for the first time. I looked over at him, trying to decide what his deal was lately. He'd been even more quiet and disappearing than usual.

"Then we'll have to lock them in a room together and pray for the best." Remus said. This plan, of course, sounded completely logical.

"So, when do we foresee this little ditty happening?" I asked, hoping I wouldn't have to be the one to tell Lily what was going on. While she was fit, and there may have been some untold feelings between the two of us, I was still nervous about her wrath. Hell hath no fury like a Lily Evans who has been duped by the Marauders.

"Well, Remus and I are pretty much locked down in detention for the next week so we were thinking the Saturday after our last detention." Sirius said, picking up the guide and flipping through it.

"Padfoot, your ability to remember Valentine's day is literally astounding." Remus said, running a hand over his face in exasperation. I let out a very manly giggle at the thought of Sirius once again getting his ass beat as Alexa realized that not only had he forgotten Valentine's day for the second time they would be celebrating, but that he was forcing her and Lyla to spend it together.

"I didn't forget. The fact that everyone in the castle will be gone to Hogsmeade just makes it easier for us to pull off this hide and seek game." He looked very proud of himself, and I rolled my eyes. Even I knew this plan had the potential to be a disaster.

"And you think Alex is going to be cool with that?" I asked, trying to make sure I had all my ducks in a row before I got completely on board with the plan. Although, if I was being honest with myself, I was totally down even before I knew what the plan was.

"She'll be fine. I'll just make sure we do something together that night." He winked and we all let out a collective groan at the innuendo. "So, what do we think? Everyone who agrees say 'aye' and know that if you don't agree Moony and I will just do the damn thing anyway."

"Aye," I said, smiling at my friends in turn. "I'm so happy that I get to be part of this." I mocked crying in happiness, pretending to wipe away some tears from my eyes.

"So glad to have you back, Prongs," Remus laughed, reaching to put his hand on the Guide that Sirius had just placed back in the book.

As we concluded the meeting, I thought about bringing up the fact that I had used the Map to spy on Blair earlier, checking on her and her 'date' but decided against it for now. No one needed to know that I was checking up on her. Besides, it wasn't in a nefarious way. I just wanted to make sure she was okay.

I climbed into bed feeling like I had done a properly thorough job convincing myself there were no lingering feelings for my friend before I laid down. Then I closed my eyes and did my best to think about red hair and Head badges. Because I was James Potter, and I was not a love-sick fool. Well, anymore I mean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	21. Rule 40: Engaging in Stealth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius jumped in as everyone else in the room began to congregate around us. He leaned in with a stern look on his face and clenched teeth, “No one else cares that you don’t want to be here, so keep it down and act like the happy nice witches I know you can be.” He snapped upright from our little powwow and James clapped his hands together to get everyone’s attention.

_Rule 40: When engaging in any manner of stealth, it is imperative to neither allow another to follow you, or to use any materials, through which, would allow them to follow you. Keep an eye on the Map and the Cloak at _all_ times._

_Lyla's Point of View_

* * *

The library was quiet, as it usually was on Saturday, but it was even more so tonight given that it was Valentine's Day. The sound of the cold February rain pattering against the window filled the silence that surrounded me and the books I had strewn across the table. Not that I was getting too much work done, but having the books open was a good start. Remus had wanted to do something special for Valentine's Day, but even though we were in a better place I just didn't feel like making a big deal out of the day. I persuaded him to keep things low key and we were planning on just spending the night just the two of us in our dorm.

Remus was still being incredibly patient with me, he was being a total saint. After everything I put him through, I wouldn't have blamed him one bit if he had decided to cut and run; but he was sticking with me, and only Merlin knows why. He was helping me work through a lot of my own grief, and in the process, we were healing and putting back the pieces of our broken family.

As I pushed those thoughts from my mind, I refocused my fleeting attention back on the books in front of me. The words ran through my mind like slugs, each word painstakingly processed at a glacial pace. I opened my eyes wider, as if that would help, and when that didn't work I let out a sigh and ran my hands across my eyes.

When the forced blurriness cleared from my eyes, I saw two familiar figures approaching my lone table in the back corner of the library. Blair waved at me with a kind smile from her spot next to Remus. "Did I totally lose track of time and forget to meet you?" I asked Remus as I glanced down at my watch. According to my timepiece, I still had a couple of hours before I was meant to meet Remus, and I had no notion of why Blair was with him.

"We need you to come with us," Remus announced, without and preamble. I looked quizzically at them both, and Blair just nodded seriously in agreement.

I set my quill down on the table and leaned back in my chair. "And why is that?" I questioned. "We're supposed to be doing our own thing tonight," I said to Remus, "And shouldn't you be out on a date or something?" this inquiry directed to Blair.

Remus leaned across the table and began to collect the various loose papers and books. "Well, my dear, the plans have unexpectedly changed," he stated, with a tone that was hoping for no follow-up questions.

I quickly caught one of the books that Remus was moving to put in my bag, and we faced off in a tug-of-war match. "You can't honestly expect me to just go along with this," I challenged him. "I don't know what the two of you are up to, and who else is involved in whatever you have cooked up, but I can assure you I want no part of it." Pulling the book from Remus's grasp, he gave Blair a look.

Blair leaned forward on the table, a serious look on her face. "It's James," she admitted. I raised an eyebrow and she continued. "Something happened and James needs your help." Blair watched me closely as I processed what she was saying, looking for any sign that I believed her.

"I'm going to need a little more than 'something happened,'" I explained to her. Blair shifted her gaze toward Remus, who provided her with no assistance. "Is James okay?" I pressed.

Standing up, Blair opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. The expression on her face changed as if she were running through scenarios in her head and she was weighing her options. "No…," she finally got out. "No, he's not okay." She placed one hand on her hip and then leaned forward again on the table with her other hand, as if she were issuing a challenge.

Not moving from my spot at the table, I furrowed my brow, accepting her challenge. "Well, is he hurt?"

Blair threw her hands up in frustration and paced in a small circle, stopping when she faced me again. "You know what, Lyla, yes, he's hurt. I didn't want to get into too many details because, frankly, this doesn't reflect well on me, but James is hurt and he needs your help and I need your help!" Blair's voice was raised, and by the look on Remus's face, he was just as surprised by this outburst as I was. "Now, if you'd be so kind as to collect your stuff so we can get a move on." Her voice had returned to its normal sweet lilt, but I could still tell that Blair meant business.

Remus finished filling my bag with the books and papers I had brought to the library and threw it over his shoulder as I fell into line with Blair who was booking it out of the library. "Look, you two, I know something is up," I told them. "I doubt that James is in any danger, and I highly doubt that you would have done anything to seriously hurt him."

Blair pulled up mid step and came to a sudden stop. Remus bumped into me as we both mimicked Blair, and she looked at Remus and then to me again. "You don't know what I'm capable of these days, Lyla," she stressed. "If we could just get to where we need to be, it would make me a whole lot happier and we can finally settle this."

She continued on her warpath and I turned to Remus before following after her. "I don't know what's going on, but I swear, Remus, if this is some elaborate plan to get Alexa and I to make up, you are going to be in a world of hurt. You hear me, Lupin?" I warned, an accusatory finger in his face.

There was a mix of wavering determination and terror in Remus's eyes. He placed a quick peck on my cheek and I knew that didn't mean anything good. As we wandered through the halls of the castle, I eventually gathered that we were heading toward the Room of Requirements. We rounded the final corner and standing there were James, Sirius and Peter, devious expressions all over their faces.

I let out a scoff and shook my head. "Imagine my surprise to find that James is not injured, but just the opposite," I lamented to Blair in particular. "It would appear to me, that James is in no danger at all and that he is fit as a fiddle." I poked and prodded James, feigning an exam, and then swatted him across the back of his head.

James rubbed at the back of his head as Sirius let out a laugh. "Quite the opposite, dear Lyla, I am deeply wounded," he corrected me. I cocked an eyebrow at him and folded my arms across my chest. "Despite your initial physical assaults, I think you will really want to see what we have behind these doors." Maybe it was James's tone or Sirius's shit-eating grin, but something told me that I was not going to be pleased once those doors opened.

I motioned toward the door, giving them permission to continue, despite my better judgement. Sirius grabbed for the doors and pushed them open. "Just remember that we all love you," Remus whispered from behind me as we moved into the Room of Requirements.

My eyes scanned the room and discovered that the room was now occupied by an enormous fort constructed of pillows and blankets. I probably should have been more surprised, but at this point, I couldn't put anything past the Marauders. There were familiar faces from the various houses scattered throughout the room, but I couldn't quite piece together what had brought us all here.

"What is this?" I questioned. "Some sort of inter-house sleepover? Sorry boys, but I'm going to pass on this and opt to sleep in my own bed."

It was Sirius's turn to take over the persuading. He sidled up next to me and placed an arm around my shoulders. "While that sounds amazing, and I definitely want to table that discussion for another time, this is so much more than that," he explained. "I know you've been laying low for a while, which we all support and understand, but you've missed a lot of the buzz that's been flying around the castle.

"Not to brag, but our hide-and-seek game from last term was an incredible success and the masses have been asking for more. As we Marauders are men of the people, we had no other choice but to oblige. Peter, here, couldn't handle being bombarded with inquiries about the next installment of the game any longer. If nothing else, we had to do it for Wormtail's sanity." Sirius clapped Peter on the back who nodded in agreement with his friend.

I nodded my head with a small smirk as I listened to Sirius ramble on. "Well, I'm glad that Peter is no longer suffering," I conceded. "You lot are just a bunch of martyrs, aren't you?"

"Now you're getting it," Sirius agreed. Moments later, the doors opened and Alexa walked into the room. Sirius stiffened his arm around me, as if to hold me in place and he gave a hurried nod to Remus and then a nod in the direction of Alexa. Remus sprang into action and headed over to where Alexa was just beginning to figure out what was going on as her eyes landed on me.

"You've got to be kidding me," Alexa complained as Remus moved between her and the exit, forcing her to turn back to where we were standing. She was ushered toward us reluctantly and she looked fit for murder. "_This_ is your idea of a romantic Valentine's Day?" she demanded of Sirius. "We have to have another conversation about what my expectations are for holidays. Chocolate, flowers, jewelry. These are all acceptable, not pillows and whatever sad attempt at an intervention this is. And, you're a part of all this?" This last accusation was launched at me.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "I can assure you that I want to be here even less than you do," I stressed.

Alexa went to start a pissing match on who was the one who wanted to be here the least, but Sirius jumped in as everyone else in the room began to congregate around us. He leaned in with a stern look on his face and clenched teeth, "No one else cares that you don't want to be here, so keep it down and act like the happy nice witches I know you can be." He snapped upright from our little powwow and James clapped his hands together to get everyone's attention.

"Alright," James began, "The day has come to finally finish the infamous hide-and-seek extravaganza that we embarked on not long ago. As you all know, the first round had to be halted prematurely due to unforeseen structural issues with the maze." Sirius and James both shot Alexa and I a look and we both shrugged our shoulders in unison, and then we both looked away from each other, a little mad that we were still so in sync.

"Extra precautions have been taken to ensure the structural integrity of this new and improved maze, and we are going to finish this game once and for all, and two victors will finally emerge," James continued. "Now, in order to honor the integrity of the game, we have decided to keep the teams the same and to just pick up where we left off. That means those who were hiders will continue to hide until found, and those who had already been found and were seekers, will continue to seek. And just as a reminder, once you have been found, you will report to the front of the maze where one of our associates will allow you to re-enter the maze in your new role. Any questions?"

The room was buzzing with an excited energy. Sirius stood up on a nearby chair and all eyes were on him. "Let the game commence!" he announced. "Everyone find their teammate, seekers report to the front of the maze and hiders will have 10 minutes to assume your initial hiding spot. Go forth and win by any means necessary." Remus cleared his throat and shook his head at Sirius. "And by 'any means necessary' I mean keep it clean."

Remus gave Sirius a thumbs up and Alexa's arm shot up. "I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous," she stated bluntly. "This original teams thing is total bullshit and I'm not doing it."

"Well, that is a minority opinion, and you're overruled," Sirius responded. Alexa gave him a look that we could all tell meant that he was going to regret this whole thing later.

In the first time in a long time, I agreed with Alexa. "You can't force us to stay here and play this thinly veiled game," I jumped in.

"Pete," Sirius said before turning back to me. Peter went over to the door and flicked his wand while he muttered something. "Peter has just charmed the door to remain locked until there is a winner, and he has unfortunately forgotten how to undo the spell." I shook my head as I grew more and more angry. "So, everyone to their places and we will begin shortly. The game is afoot!"

Everyone broke into a scramble as the teams began to pair up. Remus quickly disappeared into the background with Peter, like the coward he is. I can't believe he would do this to me, and I'm sure he could sense my rage. Oh, but I had every intention of finding him and ripping him a new one. Blair walked in front of Alexa and I and gave us an apologetic shoulder shrug as she headed reluctantly over to where Matt was standing.

I couldn't help but feel a little bad for Blair, after everything that's happened with her and Matt, and her and James, this was undoubtedly going to be awkward. I noticed that James was watching Blair closely as she and Matt disappeared into the maze, and his concentration was only broken by Sirius pulling him behind him.

Alexa and I were the only ones remaining and we just stared at the maze before us. The ten minutes that we were allotted to find our hiding spots were quickly winding down, and I could feel my anxiety begin to build and my foot begin to tap impatiently. "Alright, look, we are just going to have to play this dumb game and win quickly so we can get out of here," I told Alexa. "It will be better for us to remain silent anyways. Just stay out of my way and we will be out of here in no time."

Alexa twisted an imaginary key over her lips and then threw the key across the room. She motioned toward the maze and allowed me to take the lead. We followed the winding corridors of the maze and found a secure position behind a stack of pillows. There was a loud gong that vibrated through the room, clearly indicating that the hunt was on.

I had just settled into our spot when I looked over at Alexa who looked like she was physically choking on her words. "I just want to make it publically known," she whispered, "That I do not condone any of this." I gave her a nod and continued to stare straight ahead. "I just think that is incredibly unfair that we are forced to stay in here against our will. There are literally a million other things I would rather be doing right now."

I quickly put my hand up to her to cut her off. "Believe me, I'm just as mad about this whole thing as you are, but we're here, and we need to get out of here. And the only way to do that is to win. So, quit complaining and get your head in the game, which means, be quiet so we don't give away our position."

"Oh, we're going to win," she assured me, "But I'm going to need you to be less of an ass in the process, okay?" I rolled my eyes at her and we returned to silence. Moments later, Alexa waved to get my attention and then nodded her head to indicate that there was something behind me. I cautiously peered around the stack of pillows and saw another pair of hiders moving into a hiding spot around the corner from us.

I held my finger up to my lips and then nodded, signaling her to follow me. We peeked our heads out from our spot to see if anyone was coming, and when the coast was clear, we snuck out from our spot and headed in the direction of the recently discovered party. As we neared the hiding spot of the other two players, we could hear their faint whispers, which clearly indicated that these were a couple of rookies.

Alexa rolled her eyes in disapproval of the pair. She pointed to me and then to the left, to herself and to the right and then she held up three fingers. We nodded to each other instinctively knowing what the other was thinking. By the time her hand was only holding up one finger we were both in position. Her last finger dropped and we sprang into action. We both moved around each side of the tower of pillows the two people were currently hiding behind.

On the other side of the pillows were two very startled Ravenclaw fifth years. One drew in a deep breath and clutched her chest and the other tucked her head into her knees that were pulled flush with her torso. "And that is how you both hide and seek," Alexa boasted, patting the two girls on their heads. "Now, you two run along to the front of the maze and start your sad existence as mere seekers. Oh, and if you speak a word about seeing us, we'll do more than pop out from behind pillows."

The two girls nodded their head quacking and scurried away. Alexa let out a small laugh and then grabbed some of the pillows around us. "Give me a hand with these," she instructed. She began to dismantle the neat column of pillows and formed a more disheveled mound. "I figure if we make it look like someone has already been in here, they'll be less likely to look."

As Alexa continued to arrange the pillows, she flicked her wand and several pillows began to populate into several identical copies. She constructed the extra pillows around us, essentially encasing us in a pillow cavern that just looked like a messy pile of pillows.

After she placed the last pillow and sat back against the wall of our haven, I gave her an approving nod. "Pretty genius," I complimented. She seemed a bit suspicious of my nicety at first, but she gave me a small smile a moment later. "But you didn't have to be so tough on those Ravenclaws," I teased.

Alexa shrugged her shoulders. "I know, but it was pretty fun though, wasn't it?" she questioned. "I mean, did you see their faces?" Alexa pulled a scared face and I couldn't help the laugh that escaped. We both carried on laughing for a few moments and then it slowly subsided and we just looked at each other with soft smiles that were peppered with sadness. It was as if a flip switched, and Alexa looked away, the smile long gone from her face.

In that moment, something broke within me, and I honestly couldn't understand what happened and couldn't control what came out of me. "Alexa," I whispered, as I tried to find my voice. "I have been a terrible sister. I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I am so sorry. I'm tired of fighting with you and pushing you away. I'm not the same person I was before, and I lost a huge part of myself. I'm slowly finding her again, and I've realized that you were a part of me that I thought I had lost, but I was just too damn stubborn to see that you were there the whole time, even when I treated you horribly."

Alexa raised up her hand to stop me. She took a deep breath and wiped at her eyes. "I couldn't understand what was going on," she told me, her eyes growing red. "I could understand that you had suffered such a massive loss, and I could see that you were in pain, but I couldn't fully understand what you were feeling. I didn't know how to help you."

We both were in tears now, and the flood gates were open. Alexa turned her face slightly, covering her mouth as she swallowed a sob. "This was the first time in my life that I didn't know exactly what you were going through or exactly what you needed to feel better, and that absolutely gutted me," she continued. "I was so incredibly mad that you were pushing me away, but I was also mad at myself because I couldn't get through to you. As shitty a sister you were being, I was being an equally shitty sister."

A laugh mingled with my crying. I felt lighter than I had felt in months. "I missed this," I confessed, motioning between the two of us. Alexa nodded in agreement. "I know we can't change the past, and we can't go back and reclaim lost time, but I'd really love to have you back in my life."

Alexa pulled me into a hug and squeezed me so tightly that I could feel some of the air get forced out of my lungs. I held my sister and took in her familiar smell. She let out a relieved sigh. "Being mad at you was so exhausting. After this game is over and we win, I'm going to take a well-deserved nap."

I laughed and held my sister tighter. I also admired her dedication to the game and desire to win. One of the many things we shared. Suddenly, one wall of the pillow cavern we had inhabited crumbled and James was standing over us. "And another Marauder plan goes off without a hitch!" he exclaimed. Before we could even grasp what was happening, James flicked his wand and the hundreds of pillows that comprised the maze disappeared into thin air.

People were scattered around the room, looking just as shocked as Alexa and me. Sirius sauntered over to us, clapping his hands. "The dynamic duo is back together again!" he congratulated. "Pete, if you'd kindly uncharm the door, these good people can be on their way." Peter hurried over to the door and began to usher people out, some more disgruntled than others.

Alexa and I looked at each other, still a little perplexed by what was going on. "You're trying to tell me that you lot think you had anything to do with this reunion?" Alexa questioned, as Remus, Blair and Peter came over to where we were standing. Blair had a huge smile on her face and was bouncing up and down in excitement.

"Darling," Sirius said as he came between the two of us and placed his arms around our shoulders, "We had everything to do with it."

"You give yourself far too much credit," Alexa told him as she slipped out from under his arm and jumped on his back. Sirius caught her with ease and she locked her legs around his waist. "Not just in this situation, but in general." She leaned her head around and placed a kiss on his cheek.

Remus came up behind me and placed his hands on my shoulders. I gave him a grateful smile and leaned against his body. "So, were you all just stalking us in there, listening in on us?" I questioned, giving James a curious look.

James just shrugged with resignation. "Essentially," he admitted. "With the way you two have been behaving as of late, someone had to stick close by just in case things came to blows."

Alexa and I rolled our eyes in unison at their dramatics. "Come now," I tried to reason, "We weren't that bad. Just a little bickering between siblings."

All our friends looked at one another, and remained silent. One by one, all their gazes landed on Remus who was still holding me. I could feel him shift uncomfortably and then he began to clear his throat. "I say this with love and respect," he started. I leaned my head back and looked up at Remus, raising an eyebrow. "Things were pretty chilly around here for a while, and we all got caught in the crosshairs. But, what matters now is that you two have made peace and we can all start to move forward."

From her perch on Sirius's back, Alexa nodded her head. "Here, here, brother," she egged him on. "And, the first step on our new path of friendship is to rightly claim our title of champions of hide-and-seek." I raised a fist in victory and pointed at Alexa, who threw me a wink.

James chuckled and shook his head. "No, you see, the game was just a rouse," he explained. "It was all just an elaborate plan to get you two in the same room so you'd be forced to work out your issues. It was pretty subtle, so I can understand if you didn't pick up on that."

I narrowed my eyes at him and scrunched up my face. "James, I hate to break it to you, but we saw through your thinly veiled plan fairly easily. But, that doesn't change the fact that we still won," I reasserted.

"There are no winners or losers," James repeated. "We weren't actually playing." I could tell that James was getting frustrated with us not understanding him.

Alexa hopped off Sirius's back and came to stand by me. "I'm hearing you," she assured James, "But, we in fact did win, so that would make us winners, and everyone else lost."

James went to share his retort, but Remus quickly jumped in to put his friend out of his misery. "You two won," he said, siding with us. "You are the clear-cut winners, and have demonstrated such skill in your win. Congratulations. Your prize is eternal bragging rights."

Alexa and I exchanged a handshake and waved to our imaginary fans around the room. Blair played along and clapped for us jovially. "I'm so glad you're back, Lyla," she expressed as she pulled me into a hug. A moment later she pulled Alexa in to join. "I've missed this."

"Alright," Sirius said, taking Alexa's hand and pulling her away from our hug, "Not that I'm not loving this moment, but it is Valentine's day, and I'm thinking that we should take this somewhere more comfortable." He raised his eyebrows at Alexa and she smiled knowingly and patted him on the chest.

"You are so right," she agreed. She placed a slow kiss on his lips and then ruffled his hair. She came over to where Blair and I were still standing and took one of our hands in each of hers. "How about you boys run down to the kitchens, rustle us up some treats, and meet us in Remus and Lyla's common room."

Alexa started to lead us to the door leading out of the Room of Requirements. "That's not exactly what I had in mind," Sirius called after us. Alexa waved him off as she forged on.

"You're not going to win this one, mate," I heard Remus say. I looked back at him and he gave me a smile. "Job well done, lads." They congratulated themselves with a four-way handshake, and I breathed easier than I had in months, finally starting to feel at ease again.

* * *

Blair came bounding out of the bathroom and posed in front of Alexa and me. She motioned to her outfit, the fifth one she'd shown us today. "Well, what do we think of this one?" Alexa took a bite of her chocolate frog as I continued to braid her hair.

"Much better than the first one, marginally better than number four, but I think number two is still the winner for me," Alexa rattled off. "Lyls, thoughts?"

She handed me a few Every Flavor beans, which I tossed into my mouth as I examined her outfit. "I think Alex is right, B, the second one was pretty amazing." She gave us a knowing nod and pulled off the sweater she was currently wearing and grabbed for the outfit we had all decided was the winner. After Blair had disappeared back into the bathroom, I undid the braid I had finished and began to plait Alexa's hair again as she sat contently. "So, Bear, is this the same guy that you went out with on Wednesday?" I asked, trying to put a face to her date. Blair had been going out on so many dates lately, that it was becoming hard to keep track.

Blair peeked her head out of the bathroom. "No, that was that sixth year Slytherin with the nice hair and the kind eyes, but dodgy group of friends," she explained. "Today I'm going out with a seventh year Ravenclaw."

"I thought that she had made her way through all of the Ravenclaws," Alexa muttered under her breath, in a totally non-judgmental way, but with slight concern.

"He's super nice and has been asking me out for ages, so I figured why not," Blair continued as she emerged from the bathroom sporting a navy sweater and a hunter green plaid wool skirt. She plopped down on the Alexa's bed next to us and let out a sigh. "To be honest, all this dating is exhausting."

Alexa offered her some candy but Blair politely declined. "Well, no one's forcing you to date, B," Alexa pointed out. "Why don't you just take it easy for a while?"

Blair brushed a few strands out of her face and propped herself up on one elbow as she leaned to the side. She averted her eyes from our gaze and stared out the windows across the room. "I've accepted that James and I are over. I'm not one to dwell on the past," she spoke. "But I'm worried that I'll never get over him. I keep comparing every guy to James, and they never measure up. I need to let James move on, to give him a chance to be happy; whether that be with Lily or with anyone else. And to do that, I need to keep myself busy and distracted, so I will fill my schedule with various boys."

She turned back to us and gave us a sad smile. Alexa reached out and gave her hand a squeeze. "Well, we hope you find someone who earns a second date," I told her sincerely. Blair squeezed Alexa's hand and then pushed herself up off the bed.

Blair went over to her wardrobe, pulled out her navy wool coat and tossed a scarf around her neck. "Here goes nothing," she announced. "I will see you ladies later tonight and will give you a full report." She threw us a wink and headed out of the dormitory that she shared with Alexa and Lily.

Alexa waited a few moments to ensure that Blair had gone and then pivoted on the bed so that we were facing each other. "Ugh. I am so glad that I am not on the dating scene anymore," Alexa stated strongly. "I'm just not built for it, don't have the necessary amount of dedication."

I smiled and shook my head at my dear sister. "I really do hope Blair is okay," I said, refocusing the conversation. "I don't want her to just be dating randoms just to keep her mind off James."

Alexa jumped up off the bed and clapped her hands together. "I've just had a brilliant idea," she announced, a glint in her eyes. That glint told me that she was up to no good. "How about we do a little light spying on Blair's date, just to see how our dear friend is doing? That way, we can see if her heart is really in it."

"I don't know, Alexa, I don't think we should do it," I responded. Alexa's face fell, but I held up my hand for her to let me continue. "I don't think we should do it without the Marauder's map." When I finished, Alexa's face broke into a huge smile and she jumped up and down.

"There she is!" Alexa exclaimed. "That's the Lyla I know and love!" She pulled me off the bed and grabbed for the door. "Remus is with Sirius in his dorm, so let's pop in there real quick, steal the map and be on our way. I will distract Sirius with seduction if necessary."

We quickly made our way over to the seventh-year boy's dorm and Alexa knocked quickly on the door before entering. Sirius and Remus were sitting on Sirius's bed and were scribbling away on some loose pieces of parchment. "What are you two up to?" I asked as they looked to where Alexa and I were standing.

Looking like two boys caught with their hands in the cookie jar, Remus gave me a smirk. "Just drawing up some plans, for… things," he vaguely presented to me. "Nothing you two need to concern yourselves about." Sirius nodded vehemently and then turned back to the paper in front of them.

"You just carry on cooking up your pranks and pay no attention to us," I told them as Alexa slowly moved toward Sirius's trunk. "Alexa dropped one of her earrings in here and we're just here to retrieve it." Neither Sirius nor Remus looked up from what they were working on and Alexa and I just shrugged our shoulders, going about our business.

Alexa opened up the trunk and began to rummage around the contents as quietly as possible. She looked over to me and shook her head. She nodded over to James's trunk and I sprang into action. At the bottom of James's trunk was that familiar blank bit of parchment. I grabbed for the map and then gave Alexa a thumbs up.

I hurried past her toward the door with the map tucked inside my cardigan, and she quickly turned back to the boys as I stood on the first step. "Well, no such luck with the earring, oh well, we'll just be on our way," Alexa rambled on. When she garnered no response from the boys, Alexa backed out of the room and pulled the door with her. Before heading down the stairs, Alexa pulled out her wand and revealed the true nature of the blank parchment in my hands.

We scanned the map looking for Blair, and found her footprints down by the lake with her date. Stowing the map safely in the back pocket of my jeans, we grabbed our coats and headed for the lake. There was a bitter chill in the air, and I pulled my coat tighter as we came down the hill by the lake.

Blair was sitting by the lake with her date, a good-looking boy. He had brown hair, kind eyes and looked tall; at least that's what we could see from our position behind a large conifer. Alexa wiggled her eyebrows up and down as the boy brushed something off Blair's face. Blair broke into a laugh and she seemed to actually be enjoying herself.

"Well, he seems nice enough," Alexa commented. "But to be honest, I'm already a little bored. First dates are not much fun to watch. Let's have a look at that map while we wait for things to heat up." She stuck out her hand and I grabbed for the map in my back pocket.

After scanning the map for a few minutes, Alexa looked up at me with a maniacal smile on her face. She started to laugh excitedly and did a little jig in place. "Now things are starting to get interesting," she explained. I leaned over and located what had Alexa so excited. Her finger was pointing to a pair of footprints that were located directly across the lake from where we were. When we leaned around the tree, however, no such person could be seen.

"Alright, we need to activate super stealth mode and sneak up on him," I told her. "You in?" Alexa gave me a look as if to say 'duh' and we headed off for the other side of the lake, running from tree to tree, making sure to stay out of sight. We followed the map until we were just behind where the person should have been standing. "Well, I didn't expect to find you out here," I whispered.

A moment later, James peeked out from under the invisibility cloak, an utterly shocked look on his face. "Get under here right now," he commanded. Alexa and I quickly did as directed and joined James under the cloak. "What are you two doing here?"

"I don't think you're in a position to be asking these kinds of questions, mate," Alexa challenged. "Why the hell are you out here literally pulling some cloak and dagger shit to spy on Blair?"

James looked around, a surprised look on his face. "Oh, Blair's here?" he asked, trying to feign ignorance. "I was just out for my nightly secluded think session. I can't help if she happens to also be out here, on what seems like a very boring date."

I gave James a look and shook my head. "You're not kidding anyone," I informed him. "Seriously, James, why are you spying on Blair?" I pressed.

James let out a sign and rubbed his hands down his face. "I was hoping to avoid ever talking about this with anyone," he admitted. "I'm very confused about how I'm feeling about everything. I know I'll always care for Blair, but I can't really tell if there is more there for her still. And then, there's Lily. We've been hanging out a lot more lately, and I know that I have strong feelings for her. Plus, I think she's finally starting to come around to me."

Alexa gave me a quick look and then we turned back to James as he continued. "All I know is that I'd like to make something real with Lily, but I also know that I don't love that Blair is going out on dates with other people. So, maybe I've been following her on all of her dates, but I'm genuinely just making sure that they treat her well."

My heart ached for James. He and Blair had had such a great relationship, until it just wasn't good for anyone. I know they truly loved each other, but I genuinely thought that that love only extended to friendship.

"James," Alexa said, putting a hand on his shoulder, "You can't keep doing this to yourself, or to Blair," she counseled. "You need to really think about what you want, and then go for it. You do what you need to do, but you have to stop spying on Blair, it's weird."

James nodded his head in agreement, knowing that Alexa was speaking the truth. His face changed suddenly as something occurred to him. "Wait, what are you two doing out here then?" He looked at us skeptically as we hesitated.

"You know, that's neither here nor there," Alexa told him. I covertly slid the map behind my back, hiding it from view. James gave us a shit-eating grin, clearly feeling vindicated. "Alright, we don't have to explain ourselves to you. Can we just get out of here before Blair discovers that any of us may, or may not, have been spying on her?"

Alexa pushed James's head away as he went to rag on us for doing the same thing we had just chastised him for. Once we were back at the castle, Alexa and I relaxed on mine and Remus's bed as the Marauders gathered in our common room. We decided that we had to take action. We were going to return the favor and create a situation that would force James and Blair to confront their feelings for one another. At the end of it all, we were either going to give him and Blair one last chance, or help him get Lily. And at this point, it was really anyone's guess.

* * *

Spring was in fully swing at Hogwarts, the flowers were blooming, the sun was making a more regular appearance, and Easter holiday was only a few days away. Nearly half of the student body was outside around the lake after classes enjoying the unseasonably warm March weather. I, however, was not enjoying any of this. While my classmates were frolicking in the warm breeze with flowers all around them, I was in mine and Remus's common room surrounded by countless books and papers.

Ever since Alexa and I had our breakthrough moment, I'd been getting back to my old self more and more. Nothing shoved me back into my old being like the threat of N.E.W.T.S. hanging over my head. Admittedly, I had spent the last several months of school spending almost no time on schoolwork and genuinely not caring about much of anything; but that had landed me in my current situation.

As I tried to stuff my brain full of all the information I had ignored, I could feel myself growing frantic. There were not enough hours in the day, and I was starting to question if there was even enough space in my brain to hold the contents of the books before me.

"Lyla!" I snapped my head up and saw Remus standing by the entrance to our dormitory. "I said your name a few times there, my dear. You look like you've gone mad." He chuckled as he looked me up and down from my spot on the floor. I could only imagine what I looked like. I brushed some hair out of my face that had fallen out of the bun perched on the top of my head and rolled my eyes at Remus. "Is there any way that I could pull you away from all this for a little bit?"

I let out a sigh and shook my head definitively. "Remus, do you see all this?" I questioned, motioning to everything. "One does not simply take a break from studying when you've been a delinquent student for the whole term, have two more exams before break and have N.E.W.T.S. coming up. Do you know how many Valerian sprigs go into the Draught of Living Death, or how many clockwise turns you do before adding the wormwood? Do you? Because I sure don't! Breaks are for people who know things." Remus laughed and came over to sit on one of the couches, eyeing me with a glint in his eye. "And stop laughing at me!"

Remus caught my hand as I went to hit at his knee. He pulled me from my spot, where I reluctantly followed his direction. I threw my legs across his lap and leaned into his chest. "It's nice to see you back to your old ways," he told me, placing a kiss on the top of my head. I let out an appreciative groan and wriggled in his hold. "But, you need to eat and you need to sleep. You can't spend all your time studying."

I sat up and patted him on his chest. "Now, that is where you're wrong. I've been sneaking snacks while walking to class, so meals are rendered unnecessary. And I'll sleep once I've passed my tests. Until then, I study on." He gave me a resigned smile and nodded his head. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pulled him in for a kiss. Our lips moved slowly together, and as Remus deepened the kiss I began to feel a warmth I hadn't felt in a while.

Pushing Remus back, he looked at me, slightly surprised. I could feel that I had a wild grin on my face and Remus clearly was confused. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Alright, leave me to my books," I instructed him. I gave his hand a squeeze and returned to my spot on the floor. Remus laughed to himself as he pushed himself off the couch and headed for the door. I reached down for my quill, but my hand found nothing put parchment. I frantically shuffled through the piles around me, and then looked up to Remus. "Wait, I can't find my quill. I need you to help me find it," I pleaded, possibly a tad bit dramatically.

Remus poked his head back in the door before he could pull it closed behind him. Without a word, he pointed right above his head and nodded toward me. My hand went to my hair, and after feeling a couple places, my fingers encountered the feather of my quill sticking out of the loose knot atop my scalp. I removed the quill and looked back at Remus with a sheepish smile. "Bring me back some cake?" I asked. He nodded in agreement and pulled the door closed as he headed down to meet everyone else for dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	22. Rule 127: Celebrating Birthdays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I know. Me too." She said in a quiet voice. I looked over at her to see her picking the nail polish from her impeccable nails, a nervous habit she had picked up recently. "I can't help but think, why Remus, you know? Out of everyone in this stupid castle, why him? Can't he just be happy? Can't we just put the pieces of our life back together before something else has to come and happen?"

_Rule 127: If a Birthday of a fellow Marauder or Friend is not celebrated, did the birthday even happen? Answer: no. Ergo, celebrate every birthday because we are a gift, and people love to celebrate great gifts._

_Addendum: Padfoot is no longer in charge of writing down rules, as he is an arrogant git._

_Alexa's Point of View_

* * *

"Look, I'm not going to say that it's not nice for us all to be back together again, but I am saying we should have brought a second blanket because I'm freezing my ass off right now." I looked to both my right and my left at Blair and my sister; we were sitting in the Gryffindor stands on the freezing cold Quidditch pitch, watching as the Gryffindor team and the Slytherin team down on the field were warming up for the game.

It was a bright morning at the end of February but even though the sun was shining, and I was still getting the warm and fuzzies from being able to hang out and talk freely with my sister again, the air was insanely crisp and was penetrating the many layers I was wearing, causing my cheeks to turn red from the wind-burn and the cold. Lyla next to me was rubbing her hands together, watching nervously over at Remus who was flying circles around the hoops in what appeared to be boredom.

James was giving Carrie a pep talk as he glared at the Slytherin captain, and I searched for the familiar shock of black hair on the pitch, finding it and watching the owner of the hair swing a heavy looking bat around in his right hand. He stretched his arm, then looked up at the stands; not sure if he could see me or not, I waved my arm around, immediately regretting that decision as my sleeve slipped a little and exposed my arm.

"The things we do for these boys; I haven't been to one of these matches in forever but I don't ever remember there being this many people milling about before the game even starts." Lyla adjusted the blanket across her lap, then smiled at Blair and me. I reached out and wrapped my arm around my sister's waist, pulling her and Blair in for a group hug. We all three smiled widely at each other.

"I agree with you, Alex. It's so nice for us all to be together again." Blair squealed, then blushed deeply as a group of Gryffindor sixth years covertly checked her out. "When will these boys realize that I'm not about to date within my house again?"

"It would probably help if you hadn't been on dates with all the available boys in the other houses, B. Not that there's anything wrong with that of course." I amended, sneaking a glance at Lyla who nodded covertly.

Blair, seemingly unaffected by the chill in the air, removed her gloves and brushed her fingers through her hair. "All I'm saying is that they'd do well to keep their eyes to themselves. After all, I may not be with James anymore, but I doubt he'd want to see me flirting with someone from the same house."

"I don't see why not." My attention went from Blair to the red-head that had just sat herself next to her. "He shouldn't be allowed to flirt with anyone in the same house by that way of thinking, and I saw him giving directions to Emmeline Vance the other day, and she's a fifth-year Gryffindor." Lily shrugged, pulling her gold earmuffs down further onto her flame-red hair.

"Not sure giving directions is the same thing as flirting there, Lils." Lyla said with a laugh. I watched my sister's face light up in a way I hadn't seen in such a long time, and I felt myself smile as well. She was doing so much better now, and it made me feel more hope for the future than I had felt since that cold December morning earlier this year.

"Well, you know what I'm saying. I think you should date whoever you want, Blair; and from whichever house too." Lily smiled at Blair, and then refocused her attention onto the Quidditch field, where the players were starting to congregate in the middle.

Blair's 'thanks, Lilly' got lost in the roar of the crowd as the stadium's loud speaker crackled to life. I peered out over the edge of the stands, carefully holding on and ignoring the cries as I slightly drug the blanket away from my friends, trying to see who the announcer for the game was going to be. As Remus had continued onto the team for the year, after last year's success, and Lyla had declined her spot as announcer, there had been a new speaker from each match. This year it appeared to be a loose-lipped Ravenclaw, Rita Something or Another, who seemed more interested in the looks of the players than the talents.

Not that I could blame her much, I thought to myself as I watched Sirius shoot up into the air, the bright red and gold of his Quidditch robes clashing handsomely with his black hair and tanned complexion.

Turning our attention to the ground, we watched as James stepped up to shake the hand of Theodore Knott, Madam Hooch's eyes firmly on their handshake, which seemed like they were each trying to crush the other while looking like it wasn't hurting.

"I've got the strangest feeling about this game today. Did Potter tell you we ran into a couple of Slytherins out past curfew last night. They weren't doing anything nefarious," She clarified when she saw the looks we were giving her. "But it didn't seem like they weren't up to anything either."

"I hope you gave them detention for the rest of the school year." I muttered, but not much else was to be said as the whistle blew and the balls were released into the stadium. Immediately the players were everywhere at once; Carrie flew high above us, hovering over the field as she searched for the golden ball that would end the match. Remus took up a defensive stance while the Slytherin Chasers fought for possession from James and the rest of our chasers. Sirius and Calvin Spinnet, the newest Beater on the team, raced to defend their teammates from the flying balls of doom.

But Lily was right; something strange was happening on the pitch. The Slytherin stands were unusually quiet against the roar of the Gryffindors, and we all watched as the players seemed less interested in playing Quidditch and more interested in targeting certain members of our team.

"What in the bloody hell is going on?" Lyla asked, outraged as a particularly nasty bludger came flying towards Remus from the opposite end of the field, skimming past him just in time to shake him up a little and knock a few bristles from his broom. Sirius focused in on the beater that had sent the bludger, catching eyes with Rabastan Lestrange who was grinning viciously.

"The quaffle is at the other end of the field," Blair said, her head snapping around to watch as James passed the aforementioned ball to Shae O'Connor, who pulled back and let the quaffle fly true through the hoop.

As the stands cheered and booed, the Slytherin team seemed less than worried as a second familiar head of black hair flew directly into Carrie, almost knocking her off her broom and stalling her flight around the pitch. Outraged cries went up through the stands as Madam Hooch signaled for a foul; it didn't seem to matter to Sirius, however, as he took aim towards his brother and sent a bludger flying towards him. Knott, seeing this, grabbed the quaffle from his teammate, flying towards Sirius, shouldering him out of the way in his haste to get to the other side of the field.

James called out to Remus, who had already spotted the rogue Captain, and was preparing himself to stop the ball when out of nowhere he was hit with a well-timed blast from Lestrange, and not with a bludger either. We all jumped out of our seats, the blanket long forgotten as we yelled obscenities at the Slytherin team, outraged cries coming from all of us as Lyla tried to climb over the side of the stands to defend her husband.

It was a racket of sound, noise coming from everywhere and echoing up towards the sky as suddenly it seemed like more and more violence was erupting on the pitch. Sirius was openly berating his brother Regulus, motioning around as they sat precariously on their brooms in the open sky; Remus was holding his side tenderly as Spinnet deflected the bludgers being shot towards Remus; Carrie was cupping her nose, pushing her broom faster away from what appeared to be the Slytherin Cashers as they followed her around the pitch; and in the center of it all, James was trying to call his team to attention as he held the quaffle aloft in his hand, no one around to pass to or defend from.

And then it all clicked into place. The Gryffindor players being picked on the most weren't the purebloods of the group. Sirius and James hadn't been touched once through the entire thirty minutes we'd been watching. Spinnet was getting away scot-free despite the fact that he was literally handling both bludgers on his own.

"It's the muggleborns and half-bloods; they're focusing all their attentions on them." I exhaled, looking around to Lyla whose eyes were now tinged in fear. Lily quickly hastened towards the teacher's stands, where most of our Professor's looked on in confusion as to what was going on. Blair gripped the edge of the stadium, yelling at Madam Hooch to do something.

But before anything could take place, the fight turned more physical. James, seeing that there was nothing to be done, stopped trying to get people to pay attention and seemed to notice what we had all just figured out. And before stopping to think about it, he yanked hard on Knott's passing figure as he flew after Carrie.

The Slytherin Captain was nearly pulled from his broom as James stopped his immediate flight path. He yanked himself from James' hold, reaching out for his broom and pushing it away. James shoved back, and before we knew what was happening, was pulling his arm back, letting it fly free. Blood came pouring from Knott's nose, and almost as if the air was pulled from the stadium everything went quiet.

There was a beat in time, and then all hell broke loose.

The players on the field were physically fighting, pushing and shoving each other, throwing punches with wild abandon. And while all of this would have been dangerous on its own, the fact that they were flying 50 feet or more in the air made it all the more worrisome. Fans from both team were throwing things, screaming at the players, and I held onto Lyla's hands as we watched.

Madam Hooch's whistle was shrill as it rang through the air, but the fighting continued, and I watched, open mouthed as one of the Slytherin chasers gave Carrie a particularly hard shove and pushed the fourth-year girl clean off her broomstick. Cries of shock and gasps rang through the stadium as her body went plummeting through the air. I held my breath as I watched with rapt attention.

Twenty-feet before she hit the ground, however, James flew under her, stopping her momentum but knocking them both off his broom at the same time. Their bodies hit the ground with a resounding thud. Blair's crying from next to me was the only thing I seemed to be able to hear as I watched my best friend, hoping he was okay.

Three figures landed next to them, surrounding them from view, and I couldn't take it anymore. "We have to go. Now," I reiterated when neither Blair nor Lyla moved. Shaking them slightly, I pushed through the crowd of people that had rocketed up to the front of the stands to get a better look, practically flying down the stairs in my haste. I felt Lyla right behind me, and could hear Blair behind her, and I felt somewhat comforted that we were all together.

When we emerged onto the field, I realized that most of the players had landed, and that my boyfriend was in the midst of an all-out brawl with Theodore Knott. At this point I couldn't tell who was beating the shit out of who, but I was sure it wasn't going to be good. I warred with myself about what to do, and I felt Lyla push me towards Sirius before yelling out to me.

"Stop him; we'll check on James and Carrie." She squeezed my hand, and I gave her a searching look. "I'll be okay. Promise."

I nodded, and then rushed towards Sirius and Knott. Pulling out my wand, I tried to think of the best way to go about this. I didn't want to petrify one of them because it would give the other a chance to retaliate without threat; but I didn't want to _stupefy_ them both either. With no other choice, I thought of the only other spell I could remember, and prayed I didn't slice one of them in two in the process.

"_Conjure murum_!" My wand erupted in silver, and I closed my eyes until I heard two cries of disbelief in front of me. Peeking in front of me, I breathed out a sigh of relief as I saw the small see-through but hard as rock wall I had conjured between Knott and Sirius. Both boys turned to me, anger written all over their face. Sirius' eyes dimmed slightly as he recognized me, but Knott looked even more furious.

"You filthy half-blood bitch! Can't keep away for five-minutes, can you? We warned you and your barren sister you would all get what was coming to you. And it starts now." He stalked forward, and I spoke before knowing that my hand was moving.

"_Colloshoo!_" Immediately he stopped moving, and his feet stuck to the grass. Sirius started to say something, but a commanding voice from behind him stopped him. I focused my gaze as Dumbledore strode onto the field.

"The match is over. Both teams into the Great Hall. Immediately." I felt dread sink into my heart as I saw his gaze drop towards me. "Miss Parker, if you'll release Mr. Knott." I nodded, swallowing hard as I finished the hex, and Knott shot me the nastiest glare I had ever received.

As he stalked off, I turned away from Sirius, remembering James and Carrie. Spotting Lily's red-hair immediately, I saw with some relief that while Carrie was on a stretcher, she was still moving and breathing. James was sitting on the ground in front of her, clutching at his right arm but seemingly okay.

"What the absolute _fuck_ was that?" I could hear Lyla yelling, and I followed her voice to find her following Remus back up to the castle. Turning towards Sirius, I noticed his bruising eye, split lip, and bloodied knuckles.

"I second that statement," I said to him, pausing while I saw James and Blair coming towards us. "That was a bloody reckless thing to do, James. But you probably saved Carrie's life, so I can't be too upset with you." He laughed, wincing in pain as Blair nudged him forward gently.

"McGonagall said Hospital Wing, James, and Lily isn't going to be too happy dealing with Head Girl duties alone if McGonagall kills you for disobeying her." He nodded along, glancing over at Sirius with a laugh.

"Mate, you look worse than me." James said, before resuming his walk back towards the castle. The grounds were clearing out, the Quidditch teams making their way back up, staying well clear of each other, while the stands were buzzing with gossip still.

"You okay?" Sirius asked, and I realized that he had come up beside me. He tilted my chin up to look him in the eye, and I grimaced as I got a better look at his face.

"I think I should be asking you that. You've popped a blood vessel in your eye, you know?" I reached up and gingerly touched the bruising around his left eye. He winced, but leaned slightly into my touch. "You're going to be in so much trouble."

"Well, I wasn't just about to sit there and let him speak like that about my friends and teammates." Sirius spat, and I placed my hands on his shoulders, forcing him to calm down.

"I'm not saying what you did was wrong, Sirius; just that you're going to be in trouble for doing it." He nodded, then bent down slightly to place his forehead against mine. Breathing in deeply, he sighed before standing up fully. "This is getting real, isn't it? I mean what Knott said; it's not just him that thinks that way."

"No, it's not. And I don't think this is going to be the end of it either." His eyes darkened again, and I placed my hand in his, pulling him back towards the castle, knowing that when we got there things were going to go from bad to worse.

It seemed like hours as Blair, Lyla, Lily, and I sat on the stairs of the Great Hall, waiting for Dumbledore to release our friends to us. Slowly but surely, certain members of each team had filtered out, the Slytherins sending nasty glares our way, while the Gryffindors looked sympathetic. Lunch had come and went, and as dinner started to roll around, Lily had to leave for Head Girl duties. Blair decide she would go upstairs to change, taking our coats with her, and then it was just Lyla and I, sitting on the stairs.

"I'm really nervous, Lyls." I said after a few moments, and Lyla leant over, nudging me slightly with her shoulder.

"I know. Me too." She said in a quiet voice. I looked over at her to see her picking the nail polish from her impeccable nails, a nervous habit she had picked up recently. "I can't help but think, why Remus, you know? Out of everyone in this damn castle, why him? Can't he just be happy? Can't we just put the pieces of our life back together before something else has to come and happen?"

"Nothing is going to be able to take him away from you, Lyla. We won't let it. You all deserve every ounce of happiness in this world." I said, and she nodded with a slight laugh, wiping a hand over her face quickly.

"I'm so over it; and I don't even think this war has really even begun." She said, turning to look at me. I felt the fear in my eyes at her statement, and I curled my fingers into my palm to stop myself from having to get up and pace around.

"Whatever happens, we're all in this. We won't let anything happen to each other. Deal?" I asked, knowing that part of the reason I was saying it out loud was for my own sanity.

"Deal." Lyla said, and we clasped each other around the forearms, shaking once in finality.

As we released each other, the door to the Great Hall pulled open, and we watched as McGonagall strode out, our boys and a few of the other players filtered out after her. She pointed towards the stairs as we jumped up from our perches. "The Common Rooms; all of you. And I won't hear a word of protest." The team nodded, no one pushing the boundaries as they walked towards the stairs. Lyla stood with Remus, and he wrapped his hand around hers as they made their way up the stairs.

I waited for Sirius, and we had just begun our ascent when McGonagall spoke. "Ms. Parker, a word." I felt my stomach sink, and Sirius nodded towards the landing, indicating he would wait for me to be finished.

"Yes, professor?" I asked, trepidation clear in my voice. She paused a moment, as the Slytherin team began to follow Professor Slughorn towards the dungeons. I watched as Knott's gaze fell upon me, his cold gaze piercing my skin. I shivered under his glare, turning back to look at my Head of House.

"Alexa, while I don't condone you getting involved in the events of today's Quidditch match, I do have to commend you for your spell-work. It was well done, and clever. You didn't doubt yourself or hesitate; I think you'll make a wonderful asset when the time comes." Her lips twitched up only slightly, and then her stoic mask fell back into places. "Now, to your Common Room. I'll condone no more mischief for the rest of the week. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Professor." I said, feeling stunned as I made my way back up the stairs towards where Sirius was waiting. I could tell from the awed look on his face he had heard every word. "You know, just because you're an animagus doesn't mean private conversations become fair game."

"Sweetheart, animagus or not, I'm a Marauder. It's my job to listen in." He tried a wink, but with one eye turning rapidly red and bloodshot, and the other bruised tremendously, it didn't really have the same affect.

"Come on, bum. Let's go get you cleaned up." I wrapped my arm around his waist, beginning our slow ascent towards the Common Room, and the insane gossip that was sure to be floating around with it.

* * *

I sighed as I brushed my long, straightened hair behind my ears, checking my uniform one last time in the mirror before grabbing my robe and bag from the bed. "I would literally rather be going anywhere but to class right now." Looking over, I clocked Blair still putting on her eye-liner in the mirror, while Lily stood by the door, irritation at us taking so long written on her face.

"You know, Lily, you can go ahead without me if you'd like?" Blair said sweetly from her perch in front of the desk mirror she kept.

Lily grit her teeth together, and then let out a measured sigh. "I'll wait, Blair. It's no big deal." She deliberately smoothed down her uniform skirt, her ponytail swishing as she did so. I tried to contain my smirk as Blair took one last glance in the mirror before blowing herself a kiss.

"Well, let's get going then." She smiled at me, then opened the door for our irritated red-haired friend. Nudging Blair, I gave her a look and she only shrugged. "It's so easy to rile her up about being on time. I just can't stop myself."

As we reached the Common Room, I gave it a cursory glance, realizing that James, Sirius, and Peter must have gone ahead down without us. Remus and Lyla, who had the tendency to like to get up early and actually savor their breakfast meal, had certainly been waiting in the Great Hall for longer than I'd been awake. "So, we're all set for the plan then?" I asked quietly as we left the Common Room and made our way down the many stairs.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Lily shrugged, fiddling slightly with her ponytail. I had to admit, with the uniform Blair had charmed for her, she was looking pretty good. It was a little more fitted, a little shorter, than she usually wore, but it gave her the image of having real deal curves, whereas Lily liked to usually hide the fact that she had the body to match her insane brains. The ponytail elongated her neck, and her subtle make-up complimented her nicely. "Done checking me out, Alexa?"

"Well, you know what they say," I said, waving her off. She rolled her eyes and I smiled happily at her. She really was going to knock them all out of the water.

"James is going to have a conniption fit when he realizes that you've hijacked his very un-carefully thought out plan." Blair said with a laugh, and I joined in as Lily blushed pink.

"Well, Potter will just have to get over it. I'm the one that has the 'in' with the Slytherins, so I'll be the one taking point on this one." Lily gave us a very important look, and I went to refute her claim, surely not having spoken to Snape in months was not really an 'in' when we entered the Great Hall finally. Spotting our friends, I led the way towards the group, my stomach growling loudly.

"I'm so hungry," I moaned out as I snatched a piece of bacon off of Lyla's plate, slotting myself in-between she and Sirius.

"If you'd wake up earlier, you'd realize that some mornings they have pancakes." Lyla said, and I let out a frustrated sigh as I thought of that lovely, fluffy deliciousness for breakfast.

"Can't you see how you hurt her?" Sirius said with a laugh, rubbing me on the back as I pretended to cry.

"Remind me why I put up with you lot?" Remus asked from across the table, and Lyla reached out to cover his hand.

Fluttering her lashes at him, she gave him a serene smile. "Because you love us, dear. Now hush and let us be dramatic in peace." Remus smiled to himself, a light in his eyes that hadn't been there for so long, and I felt more at ease than I had realized I could. It was nice for there to be no drama at breakfast.

As I continued eating, I realized that I had spoken too soon as James continued to stare at Lily. Blair nudged him, nodding towards the red-head, but he shook his head at her. I turned to look at Sirius, who was watching the exchange in confusion. Realizing what must have been going on, I let an evil smile grace my features.

"Doesn't Lily look hot today? She's going to rock those Slytherin socks off." I smirked behind my cup as James' head whipped around towards me. Lily blushed, glaring at me, while subtly taking time to look at James for his reaction. Sirius, realizing what I was doing, decided to join in.

"Not bad at all, Lils. If it weren't for Alexa here, I might even make a play to pick you up." I tried to hide my giggles, while Lyla outright had to cough to cover up a laugh. James, on the other hand, glared at his best friend, rising from the table so quickly it sloshed around some of the pitchers, splashing Remus with cold milk.

"Watch it there, Prongs!" He yelped, pulling out his wand to clean up the mess. James looked around, and then back to Lily.

Everyone seemed to be waiting for what he was going to say, but we were all surprised when he stepped off the bench and walked out of the Great Hall. "Well, that didn't go the way I planned it to." I muttered, and I watched as Blair stared curiously after her ex-boyfriend, then looking to the slightly distraught looking Lily. "Should we get to class?" I asked, when the silence became a little tense.

"Sound perfect," Blair said, jumping up as well. I snagged one last piece of toast, holding in between my teeth as I picked up my belongings.

"You've got to be the sexiest woman I've ever met," Sirius said, rolling his eyes at me while I brushed crumbs off of my cheeks. "I mean it; how could I have ever gotten so lucky."

"Keep it up and a little birdy told me you won't be getting lucky for a good long while," I told him sweetly, and he rolled his eyes at me, abandoning arguing with me for wrapping an arm around my shoulder instead. I allowed it for a moment, before elbowing him slightly in the side. He let out a dramatic 'oof' of air, and let go of me. "Sorry, love, you're going to have to really work for it this time."

"Oh, I'd be more than happy too, Ms. Parker." He said, seduction seeming to drip so easily from his words, and I felt my face go hot. Damn him, and his ability to play to my hormones. "But not now, I fear, for Prongs looks apoplectic."

Looking to where James was standing, I turned my attention to my best guy friend, who indeed looked like he was about to lose his very loosely held in anger. Following his line of sight, I realized he was fervently watching Lily as she stood in the direct eye-sight of Severus Snape, who was doing his best to pretend he wasn't watching her. Then, with a grace that I had never seen her exhibit before, she tilted her head back and let out a soft laugh, before reaching up subtly and undoing the ribbon holding her hair up. The soft red curls came cascading down, and she ran a hand through them before smirking at Blair, whom was watching her proudly.

Sirius let out a low whistle, while from next to me, Remus let out a cough. "I'm sorry, love," He said while looking over to Lyla who looked slightly in awe. "But that was bloody hot."

"You'll have quite a bit of making up to do later then, Mr. Lupin." Lyla said, laughing at her distraught husband who followed after her into the Transfiguration classroom. I laughed after my sister, while Sirius whispered into my ear.

"I think you could give her a run for her money," He said, smirking as he placed a small kiss to the side of my neck before standing back up.

I rolled my eyes, walking into the classroom to take my seat. "You're still not getting any." I said, and he laughed, the barking sound causing a few of the surly people in the class to shoot a glare his way. "Wonder where McGonagall is?"

"I heard a rumor we were going to be practicing Apparition today," Blair whispered from the row behind us. My heart pounded, the familiar feeling of dread that I usually felt after apparating creeping up into my stomach.

"Is everyone in the class of age?" Lyla asked, leaning back some to look at Blair. A little measure of surprise registered in my head, and I thought about the Order, taking a closer look at my classmates. A different kind of dread filled me while I thought of my still missing letter.

"Wait, does that mean other people here could be," I lowered my voice as my friends, aside from James who was too busy staring up front, leaned in closer still. "In the Order?"

"It's a possibility, I think." Remus said, his eyes doing a quick run through of our classmates. Our assuming was interrupted, however, as the door to the classroom burst open, and McGonagall and a small, stout man entered the room.

"Students, this is Mr. Hodge, from the Ministry of Magic. Today we will be working on the fine art of Apparition, as everyone here has turned of age." Our curiosities were confirmed, as a whisper of excitement went up through the room. "Now, I'll let him take over from here, and then we shall pair up and do some small practicing."

As Mr. Hodge droned on about the dangers of apparition, I found myself focused on Lily once again. She was sending small, subtle glances to Snape, who seemed to be communicating back to her, using glares. A small, subtle flush to his sallow skin, however, showed that he was flustered by the attention. I felt a small niggle in the pit of my stomach, wondering if Lily was really up to using her old friend to gather information about what was going on down in the Slytherin Common Rooms at night, but so far, she had seemed okay with it.

Maybe that's what happened when you were betrayed by someone you thought had been your friend. We had pretty much destroyed Bree last year, for the same reason. Betrayal was a bitch.

My attention was snapped back to the front, while Mr. Hodge called for us to stand up. "I shall put you into pairs." He said, and I listened for my partner, realizing he was pairing us up by last name when Black and Bartlett were paired together. Giving Sirius a 'good luck' I watched him walk over to the Hufflepuff blonde that was grinning widely. I felt a small flare of jealousy spring up in my stomach, but tamped it down.

"Ms. Parker and Mr. Potter," I grinned as I turned to look at James, who was looking more worried than I was.

"Okay there, James? You know that you're going to be great at this. You were apparating all over the place this summer." I asked, standing in a small cleared space so we could prepare to practice. Once the tables had been vanished, James turned his attention to me, and finally away from Lily.

"What if she gets in too deep and gets hurt, Alex? This was a terrible idea. We should have just gone with my original plan." He huffed out a sigh.

Placing my hand on his forearm, I gave him what I hoped was a sympathetic look. "We couldn't have you all bursting into the Slytherin dungeons, James, or getting caught. They would kill you; and I'm starting to think that literally and not just figuratively. At least with Lily, Snape isn't going to let anything happen to her. As much as we hate to admit that, he cares for her."

"Can't she see that he's just as slimy of a git as he was in fifth year?" James spat harshly, and I tried not to roll my eyes so hard I'd fall backwards.

"I don't think she thinks there's any hope left for their friendship, James. This is something she's doing for the good of the group, for all the students, actually. Lily is a smart, capable witch." I gave him one last squeeze, and then stood away from him. "Now, let's practice. It'll help you focus on something else."

Turned out, as most things with Transfiguration did, I was terrible at apparating. In fact, I hadn't even managed to move more than an inch in the two hours we had been practicing. And now, sweaty and frustrated, I watched as James maneuvered his body around the room, disappearing and reappearing with ease. Peter was clapping with happiness, each time Sirius and James scared each other.

Letting out a frustrated huff, I looked over to find Remus having just as much trouble as I was. Going to stand by my brother in law, I nodded towards Lyla, who looked just as put together as she had this morning. "Got in one then, sister mine?" I asked, and she shrugged sheepishly.

"I can't help my magical prowess, Alex." I rolled my eyes at her. "Remus, really focus on where you want to be." She coached, and he nodded, trying once again, only to reappear in the same spot, but maybe a few inches to the left.

"It's no use. I can't do it. I used to be able to, and now I can't. Sometimes these things happen. That's that. There are plenty of other ways to get around in the magical world. I don't _need_ to apparate." He said, showing a slightly more dramatic version of Remus than I was used to seeing.

"I second that notion," I said, trying to make him feel better. "Blair and I can't do it either." I looked over to my friend, who had abandoned the process all together, instead using her wand to paint her nails a rather shocking blue color.

"See, I'm not alone then." Remus looked pleased that he wasn't the only one that hadn't gotten it the first time around. Whether it was anxiety or a mental block causing him to be unable to apparate, I wasn't sure. He had had plenty of practice this summer, but it seemed when faced with a test of his skills, he wasn't as experienced as he seemed to be. Maybe it was just nerves. We decided that a break was in order, and about ten minutes later, McGonagall called the class to order anyway.

She seemed to look around at our progress, narrowing her eyes at James and Sirius, who looked incredibly pleased with themselves. "Now, class, if you couldn't get it today, don't be alarmed. There will be an official apparition test at the end of the year, and we will have a few more practices before that happens, so there is plenty of time to learn. For those of you that did get it, congratulations. But don't forget that practice makes perfect, and no one likes being splinched." As she dismissed us, I groaned and picked up my bag, wiping a hand across my sweaty forehead.

"I would love nothing more than to bunk off the rest of classes today," I bemoaned, but I realized that having Double Defense after lunch was probably not the best class to forget about. The rest of my friends agreed, and we were about to walk out of the classroom when Lily spoke.

"I was thinking I could do a tutoring session, Professor, just for those that need a little help?" She sounded sincere, and I realized quickly what she was doing.

Turning around, I brought Remus and Blair with me, walking back up to the front. "We'd love a little extra help," I said, trying to sound as if I was really thankful. Although, to be honest, it would be fairly nice to be able to apparate anywhere I wanted.

"Thank you, Miss Evans. If anyone else would like to sign up for a bit of extra help, please see Miss Evans." McGonagall said, and I sent Lily a quick wink, turning just as Snape cleared his throat from behind Lily. She replaced her smirk with a genuine smile, and turned around.

As we walked out of the classroom, leaving Lily to schmooze, I heard Remus sigh from next to me. "Who knew Lily Evans, Head Girl and Rule Follower, could be so devious."

"I think each one of us has that little bit of evil in us, Remus. We just need to have something that makes us mad enough to let it out," Blair said, examining her nails as we made our way towards lunch.

Pulling back, I looked at Blair curiously. "Remind me never to have your evil come out of you." I said with a shudder, and Blair gave me a glare before smiling serenely.

"You'll all do well to avoid that," Blair said, a laugh in her eyes as she walked ahead, her bag swinging behind her.

* * *

"So, I have it on good authority that Lily's birthday was back in January, and since we were all a little preoccupied back then, we may or may not have missed it." I looked up from the Defense essay I was working on, signing my name with a flourish on the bottom and hoping that one foot of parchment meant I could smudge the last half-inch with a sprawling signature. Lyla was working on a number of essays all at once, her quill coming perilously close to her eyeballs as she stretched and sat up instead of hunching over the desk.

"I'm always really curious how you find this stuff out, B." I said, capping my ink well and casting a drying charm over my essay so it wouldn't smear when I shoved it deep into my bag. Lyla took a little look at my essay, smirking when she saw my name scrawled largely across the bottom. "I couldn't think of anything else to say on shield charms." I shrugged.

Lyla nodded her head, finishing off the last line of what looked like a Care of Magical Creatures essay. "Just so you know, if Sirius tries to steal this later, I'm going to beat his ass." She gave me a smile and I laughed, tossing my bag to the floor and pulling my legs up underneath my bottom. I pulled my robe closer around me, noting that the fire in Lyla and Remus' common room wasn't doing much to rid the cool air throughout the castle. Outside, a few snow flurries had me longing for a hot chocolate.

"Ladies, time to focus up," Blair said, snapping her fingers in front of our faces. Lyla raised an eyebrow, putting her quill down and giving Blair her full attention. "Now, sorry I had to do that, but we need to do something for Lily. I feel like now that we're all friends, us not celebrating her birthday seems kind of rude."

"What did you have in mind, Blair?" I asked, trying to wrap my head around Blair being totally on board with Lily. I hadn't been expecting her rapid maturity, but she genuinely seemed like she was okay that Lily and James had something going on, and that we were welcoming Lily into the gang.

"Technically, this idea was James' and not mine, but Remus and Sirius agreed; and we all know Peter is going to go along with anything they want. I love the kid to death, but he has no backbone." She pushed her hair out of her eyes, gathering her long chestnut hair into a low ponytail.

"Kind of harsh, but I guess technically true." Lyla conceded, seeming a little out of sorts as Blair continued.

"So, anyway, we were thinking we could just have a little celebration here, and only invite just a few of our friends. It would be small and classy, but I wanted to make sure you were okay with it first, Lyls, before we started to invite people along." Blair turned her full attention to Lyla, and I looked at her as well, gauging her reaction.

Lyla gathered up her essays, piling them into a neat stack and then vanished them and her bag into her room. "Thanks for running it past me first, B, but I want you both to know that I really am okay now. I used alcohol to push away the feelings that I was having, but I've been doing so much better now. I've been going to see Madam Pomfrey to talk to her once a week, and with Remus and being able to open up with you all again, I really think I'll be okay. I promise." I felt another rush of relief wash over me, and I squeezed Lyla's shoulder as I leaned over to give her a one-armed hug. "I promise if I have any difficulty with it, I'll tell you."

Nodding, Blair clapped her hands and stood up from the couch where she had sat down next to Lyla. "Awesome. Alexa, we should go get ready. Lyla, if you want to come upstairs with us, we could all prepare like old times?"

"Sounds fun, Blair." Lyla smiled, standing up and going into her room to grab some clothes to change into.

"I guess I won't be able to swing just wearing my uniform?" I asked, hoping I wouldn't have to put too much effort in. It had been a long week, and Friday had been especially brutal after trekking down to Herbology in the snow for my last class of the day.

Blair's glare gave me the answer I needed, and I sighed, standing up and pulling my bag up from the ground. We waited until Lyla reappeared with her make-up bag and her clothes before we trekked up the short flight of stairs and into the Gryffindor Common Room. We had discovered the second entrance that led into the Gryffindor room, rather than just the one that led into the hallway. It had been a revelation that we had taken advantage of very quickly.

James and Sirius were waiting in the room, lounging in front of the fire on the plush red couches. Various items were in front of them, and they raised their heads a bit to look at us as we filed past them. "Better get started on beautifying, ladies. We'll commence the festivities in an hour." James said, waving his hand around as he continued to laze about.

"We're not really the ones that need beautifying, are we?" I asked, snark in my voice to try and get Sirius riled up. However, he didn't seem in the mood to do much more than shoot me the rude finger, and continue to lay with his eyes closed, warming himself in front of the fire like a dog. "See you in an hour, then."

We continued up the stairs, laughing as Blair shot a burst of cool air over James and Sirius, causing two identical yelps to follow us up the stairs. As we entered our dorms, we saw Lily sleeping soundly, her afternoon nap about to be rudely interrupted by us.

"Oh, Lily-poo," Lyla called, lowering her voice slightly. I tried to see what she was doing, and was rewarded when Lily shifted in her sleep, pushing her hand out to shoo her attacker away.

"Piss off, Potter." She said, and we laughed loudly, causing the red-head to stir even more. "Oh, god." Lily muttered when she saw it was us.

"Lily-dear seems like she has a bit of a crush. Thinking about poor James in her dreams." I said, cat-calling while pulling clothes haphazardly out of my dresser.

"Hopefully these scenarios all involve clothes," Lyla laughed, taking her spot on my bed, already cracking her make-up case open and looking over her options. I shot her a curious look, as she wasn't one to usually go through too much trouble for a party. "It's the first time we're all celebrating again. I thought it might be nice to get dressed up."

I smiled at her, turning to Blair who looked ecstatic about that idea. "I'm happy if you're happy," I said, grinning and then pulling my robe over my head and tossing it over towards my trunk. It fell on the floor, and I left it to lie there as I made my way into the bathroom, summoning my bathrobe from its place on my four-poster. "I shall be out in a moment, ladies."

As I shut the door, I heard Lily ask about the party, and my grin widened as I thought about the Head Girl herself partaking in yet another Marauder party, even though she used to pretend she couldn't be bothered. How times had really changed.

The party had started small, a couple of snacks and drinks set on the table in the make-shift kitchen Lyla and Remus had in their Common Room. We had been laughing, playing a very innocent game of never-have-I-ever that had us all in tears of laughter, when James stood up to go get something from his dorm room and the door had been left open. Apparently, the rest of the Gryffindor Common Room thought this was an invitation to what they knew was going on but couldn't prove, and suddenly, what started as a small celebration of friends became a massive shindig.

Remus had finally pushed the rest of the stragglers out of their private rooms, shutting the door behind him as he took a look around the Common Room. I waved him over to our little group, watching as Lily, who had taken everything surprisingly well, took a shot of fire whiskey from Peter and knocked glasses with Sirius.

"So, this quickly got out of hand," I said, holding my own fire whiskey, which Lyla and I had been sharing.

Lyla laughed, taking the glass as I held it out to her. "Not sure what else I had expected when the Marauders are involved."

An arm wrapped around my shoulder as Remus came up behind Lyla and put his hands on her waist. "Love, I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult." Remus said, and Lyla craned her head up to place a small kiss on the exposed skin of his neck. Remus flushed pink around his ears, and I turned away from the intimate moment to look up towards Sirius, whose flushed cheeks and large grin told me that he had decided to embrace the alcohol and the party.

Figuring the least I could do was indulge, I took the cup back from Lyla, taking a large drink and trying not to shiver as the whiskey heated me through. "Well, what can we do but join in?" I asked my sister, and she laughed again, finishing off the cup. "Let's dance!" I said, pulling my friends towards the makeshift dance floor where Blair was pretending to lasso Lily into her arms. Neither girl was really coordinating it too well, but they seemed like they were having the best time, and as the alcohol seemed to go to my head, I couldn't think of anything I'd rather do than join them.

I let Sirius take my hand, swirling me around and spinning me back into him. Reaching my arms up, I let him dictate the beat as I clasped my hands loosely around his neck. Lyla and Remus behind us were swaying to their own beat, enjoying themselves enough to occasionally steal kisses from the other, causing the other to blush and giggle like the happy couple they were. I let Sirius lead me around a bit more, before the beat changed a familiar song came on that I recognized immediately.

It took me back to the concert we had enjoyed this past summer, and I felt the nostalgia wash over me. My girlfriends must have felt the same way, because Lily squealed loudly, gathering us all into each other, thrashing about in some matter of dancing. Deciding that she had it right, we decided to join her in her thrashing, pretending to sing along in a microphone and having the best time. I couldn't even be embarrassed as I laughed with my friends, feeling carefree for a moment in time.

As the song ended, I felt flushed and hot, and I pulled my three friends to the makeshift drinks table, allowing one of James' lackeys to pour us all drinks. "Cheers, to Lily and to best friends." I said, and they all agreed with cheers before we took long swallows of our drinks. "I just want you all to know, that I love you all."

"We love you too, Alex!" Blair said, a flush high on her cheeks and her eyes shining brightly. "I'll be right back," She said, cryptically before finishing her drink and turning back into the crowd, determination written all over her face.

Remus called for Lyla, something about their song being on, and she finished her drink, stumbling slightly on her way towards him. He reached out for her, pulling her into him, and wrapping her in his arms safely. I took a sip of my drink, looking at Lily who was smiling and swaying on her feet to the thumping beat of the music. The Common Room was hot, and I felt warm, placing my cup against my forehead to cool me off.

Finding Sirius with my eyes, I couldn't help but roll my eyes as he urged Peter on, pointing to a small blonde sitting with her friends on one of the couches. I only realized Lily was talking to me when she waved a hand in front of my face. "Sorry, got distracted." I said, apologizing for ignoring her.

"I'm happy you all are together, Alexa. It's nice to see that you all could work things out. Gives me hope for the future." She blushed, looking deep into her cup as if it held all her answers.

"Hope for a future with James?" I asked, nudging her slightly with my elbow and wiggling my eyebrows.

Lily thought about it for a moment, and then nodded. "Yes, actually. I never thought I'd feel like this about him, but here I am, seven years later, wondering what it'd be like to kiss him, or hold his hand." She looked at me squarely, grasping her cup like a lifeline. "Do you think that's stupid?"

"Look who you're talking to, Lils." I waved my free hand over myself, and rolled my eyes. "I fought with Sirius ever since I was 15 when I realized that I had a massive crush on him; and then for a year after that I pretended to hate him completely, only to find out that I loved him and couldn't be without him. So, no, I don't think you're stupid."

"Thanks, A. You know, I never really thought we'd be as close as we are, but I'm really glad we are." She finished off her drink, placing it back on the table. Looking around her quickly, she leaned forward, motioning me to do the same. "Can I tell you something?"

Looking around, I nodded, making sure we weren't going to be overheard. I was curious as to what she was going to say. "Go ahead," I prompted, and she smiled at me.

"I actually did have your letter. The one that invited you into the Order of the Phoenix. I just didn't say anything because I didn't want you to worry. And it's totally fine now, because I'm 17 and I got into the Order as well," She continued to blather on, and I felt my blood run cold, the alcohol in my system making me feel like I was going to be sick and the blood rushed in my ears. "Alexa, you okay?"

"I've got to go," I said quickly, not registering as she called out after me. I walked quickly, my brain only registering that I had to tell James, and I stumbled over a few couples making out on the dance floor, only to not find him. Racking my brain for places he would be, I took off up the stairs to the boys' dormitory, taking the stairs two at a time and deliberately not thinking about what would happen if I missed one. "James, are you in here? We have a definite problem that we need to," I trailed off, the door having opened to a scene I was positive I would never see in my lifetime.

On the bed, under the covers with thankfully nothing bared, were James and Blair, obviously doing something that I didn't want to dwell on. "Alexa?!" Blair squeaked, and I shook my head quickly, shutting the door as fast as I had opened it.

"Sorry!" I yelped out, and I raced back down the stairs, unsure of what to do but knowing I had to beat feet out of here quick. I continued to run through the party, until I felt my arm being caught. "Really, I'm sorry. I didn't know you two would be up there."

"Didn't know what two would be up where?" Sirius asked, his teeth gleaming in the low-light of the room. "What's the matter?" He asked when he saw my face.

"I don't know. Everything?" I ran a hand through my hair, mussing the curls I had spent so much time perfecting. "Really, Sirius, I need to get out of here. First, Lily drops the bomb on me that she's the one that found my lost Order letter, and now James and Blair are upstairs rekindling their relationship. Not to mention that Lily basically told me that she loves James. So really, everything is a shit show at this point."

I gathered my breath, realizing Sirius had maneuvered us over to a quiet corner of the party. I waited for him to say he'd make it better, that he knew what to do, but he was looking at me seriously, fire in his gaze. "You lost your Order letter?" Feeling my stomach drop, I thought I would be sick for a moment, my face paling at his lowered voice. I could tell he was restraining himself from yelling, and for a moment I felt nervous.

"I was going to tell you, Sirius, but I knew you'd be mad, so I told James and we had it under control." Realizing as his eyes darkened even more that I was just digging myself into a deeper hole, I shut my mouth with a snap.

"You told James?" A little bit of hurt tinged his voice, and then his anger was back. "This is why I didn't want you joining the order, Alexa! You're not even responsible enough to keep track of a damn letter."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, indignant as he ran a hand over his face.

"It means that you're not ready for this. You can barely take care of yourself, and you're not ready to be in this situation." He said, raising his voice a little. We were starting to draw some attention, but a quick glare from Sirius dampened our viewing party.

"Don't you dare treat me like a child. I am 17 years old! And news flash; it doesn't matter what you say. I'm already in it." I huffed, pushing past him, rage boiling in my veins. I had to find Lyla, and quick. She would know what to do.

"You're going to quit then, Alex. You're not going to do this anymore." Sirius called out after me, and I scoffed at him. I swung around, the room spinning slightly as I realized that now was probably not the best time to be arguing, seeing as we were both drunk. At the exact moment, however, Sirius' angry eyes pushed that thought away and made me even more upset.

"Who do you think you are? I'm a bloody adult, Sirius, I don't need you trying to control me." I said back to him, and he caught my arm lightly while I tried to pull away. "Let go of me."

"No," He said, "we're not finished talking about this." I yanked myself out of his grasp, wrapping my arms around myself. His eyes softened slightly, a look of regret at starting this argument passing over his face. But I wasn't ready to let it go.

"We are finished talking about this." I said back, and he opened his mouth to speak. Instead of giving him the chance, I shook my head at him, turning quickly and running back into the crowded party, which was still in mid-swing, my only thought being that I had to find Lyla, who I hoped would fix things before they got too bad.

I needed my big sister, whether this was all my fault or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	23. Rule 201: When a Marauder's Girlfriend(s) Insists Upon Meddling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rolling my eyes at her, I took the cup from her and took a sip of the warm contents letting it warm me from the inside out. I noticed that Alexa kept looking past me toward the second room that was beside mine and Remus’s. With a guilty look on her face she said, “So, I either did something really, really stupid, or something kind of ingenious.”

_Rule 201: When a Marauder's Girlfriend(s) Insist on Meddling, it is up to the Marauder's to either distract from the situation, or ride it out and let it see how things go. In the Case of Messer Potter Versus the Parker/Lupin Sisters, Messer Potter submits to their meddling. Just this once._

_Lyla's Point of View_

* * *

Remus and I had decided to take a break from the festivities and dancing and had taken up residence on one of the couches pushed against the edge of the Common Room. As I played with Remus's hair, as his head rested in my lap, he rambled on about some fascinating book he read about something or another. To be honest, the alcohol was hitting me right in the head and I was finding it hard to focus on much of anything at the moment.

I nodded my head in agreement of whatever he was saying and then looked around the room at all the people who had come out to celebrate Lily. I found Lily in the middle of the room, dancing around a slightly startled looking Peter as she tried to coax him into joining her. I let out a small laugh and caught Remus looking up at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you even listening to me?" he questioned, clearly already knowing the answer.

I dropped down and placed a kiss on his lips and then placed another quick peck on his nose. "Darling, I'm not hearing a word you're saying. But I love you very much." I gave him a smile and he just shook his head at me. "Oh, look, here comes my lovely sister!" I exclaimed as I spotted Alexa coming toward us. "Alex, dear, come join us. I have had a bit too much to drink and I'm starting to get sleepy. Let's cuddle."

I reached out my arm to Alexa over the back of the couch, but the look on her face didn't quite seem to match the vibe I was sending out. She tried to match my drunken enthusiasm for about a minute and then dropped the act as she grabbed onto my arm. "Look, I need to talk to you," she breathed out in a hurry.

"Sure, yeah, let's talk," I told her, motioning to come join me on the couch.

She shook her head decidedly. "Not here; not with Remus, alone," she clarified. She looked to Remus quickly and added, "No offense." Remus shrugged his shoulders and sat up to allow me to follow Alexa in the direction she was pulling me. He was able to sneak in a kiss before Alexa was whisking me away through the hordes of people. Alexa all but pushed me into the seventh-year girl's dormitory and slammed the door behind us. "I've got a problem, and I need your help."

I nodded my head as I threw myself onto Alexa's bed. Pulling her covers back, I slid underneath them and settled against her pillows. "I'm all ears and eager to help, but I'm going to need to just lay here while you talk," I explained, shifting slightly to get even more comfortable.

Alexa rolled her eyes as she started pacing back and forth in front of me. "Okay, to make this easier, just keep all comments and judgements to yourself until I finish explaining what happened," she instructed. I nodded my head and motioned for her to continue. "So, after I got my letter inviting me to join the Order, I accidentally misplaced it, James and I tried to figure out what happened to it, apparently Lily found it, I never told Sirius because I knew he'd be mad, tonight I accidentally told Sirius because I had just seen Blair and James shagging, and now he is livid and is trying to make me quit the Order on the grounds that I'm not, quote 'responsible' enough."

I couldn't tell if it was the alcohol or the sheer speed at which I had received the information, but I was having so much trouble comprehending what I just heard. Alexa momentarily stopped pacing and faced toward me, her hands resting on her hips.

Sitting up from the blanket cocoon I had formed around myself, I was having trouble finding the words. "You said a lot of words," I began, not particularly insightful. "Alright, let me see if I understand what's going on. Feel free to stop me at any point if I've gotten something wrong." Alexa nodded her head as she joined me on her bed, biting her lip like she did when she was nervous.

"You lost your letter about the Order and Lily found it, and she knew nothing about the Order prior to this," I stated. Alexa nodded her head in agreement. "You told James about it and you all were somehow going to figure it out."

Alexa leaned forward and held up a finger to clarify. "To be fair, I would have told you but we weren't talking and I hated you at the time." I gave her a look and she waved herself off. "You're right, that's not important right now."

"Naturally, you didn't tell Sirius, which has not surprisingly come back to bite you in the ass. So, now Sirius knows, you two had a massive row and this is all because you walked in on two of our best friends, who are supposed to be moving on from one another, having sex. That about sum it up?" I queried.

She thought it over in her mind and nodded. "While I think I'm not being judged fairly by your tone, that does about cover everything. Now, what I need is for you to tell me how to fix it all."

My eyes grew a bit wider and I let out a sigh, shifting slightly in my spot. "Fucking hell, Alex, that's a big ask," I told her, to which she was not pleased. "I don't even know what to say about Blair and James, other than it's probably a terrible idea given that they are supposed to be moving on from one another, but I think we just need to stay out of that one. As far as you and Sirius go, this isn't the first fight you all have had and I'd venture to say that this won't be the last. So, I'm sure things will work themselves out once you two have simmered down."

Alexa let out a huff and fell to the side to languish among her sheets and pillows. "And what about Lily? What if she told someone? Sirius may get his way, because if Dumbledore finds out that I'm responsible for word getting out about the Order he'll probably ban me himself."

Her face formed an exaggerated pout and she let out a whine. I crawled over to where Alexa was sulking and laid down next to her, placing my face inches from her own. "It'll be okay, sister," I assured her. Alexa began to giggle slightly and nodded her head. "I think what we have to do now is find Lily, corner her, and force her up here to sort everything out."

She grabbed may face and kissed my forehead. "Lyls, you are a genius!" she exclaimed. "That is exactly what we should do!" Alexa sprung up from the bed, filled with a brand-new enthusiasm. She threw open the door to the dormitory and I followed quickly behind her. Before continuing, she swung around on the stairs, and I stopped suddenly. "You wait here and I'll grab Lils."

"Hurry up!" I yelled after her as she disappeared down the stairs. I took a seat on one of the steps as I waited for my sister to return with Lily. I leaned forward with my elbows on my knees and cradled my chin in my hands. My eyelids began to feel heavier and heavier as I waited, and they began to close.

Just before I slipped into some semblance of sleep, I was jolted by the sound of a door opening and a gasp. After I blinked the blurriness from my eyes, I discovered that the gasp had come from Blair, who was standing with James on the adjacent staircase that led up to the boy's dormitory. "Lyla," she said shocked.

Literally a second later, in the worst timing known to man, Alexa appeared on the landing between the two staircases with Lily. "Lyla, I found Lily," Alexa announced, pointing to Lily. Alexa followed my eye line and landed on Blair and James. "Oh, shit."

Blair finished pulling her sweater back on and smoothed out her skirt, her eyes looking down at the floor. James cleared his throat and attempted to mat his more unruly than usual hair down. His eyes widened as he realized Lily was with Alexa, and Lily looked pissed. James began to come down the stairs shaking his head. "Lily, it's not what you—," he started but was cut off.

"Don't even start with me, Potter," Lily spat, putting her hand up to stop him. I had seen Lily mad at James before, but this was beyond anything I had seen before. "I can't believe I started to change my mind about you, but you are clearly the same immature ass that you've always been. I hate you, James Potter, I hate you so much. And Blair," she continued looking past James to Blair now, "I thought we were friends." Blair was near tears and couldn't bring herself to look at Lily. "I'm done with all of you, this was such a mistake."

Lily turned away in a huff and disappeared down the stairs. Alexa looked to me in a panic. "Alex, go and make sure Lily is okay," I instructed her. I then turned to Blair and James. "I don't understand what's going on between the two of you, but I can't deal with this in my current state, so we'll just revisit this in the morning. But for everyone's sake, I think you two should just go your separate ways and go to bed."

Blair walked past me up the stairs and didn't say a word. James and I looked at each other. "I'm going to go find Sirius and Peter," he said, hanging his head as he left.

I trusted that Alexa would find Lily and comfort her tonight, which was clearly the alcohol making that decision. But, nevertheless, instead of seeking them out, I decided it was time to call it a night. When I got back to mine and Remus's dormitory I found Remus already in bed, reading a book.

After kicking off my shoes and closing the door to our room behind me, I crawled across the bed and snuggled up next to Remus as he read. Wrapping my arms around his waist I nuzzled my face against his shirt until he put his book down and let out a laugh. "Oh, hi dear, I didn't see you come in," he joked, rubbing my shoulder.

"I'm very sleepy," I informed him. "And a little drunk. Can we go to sleep now?"

I looked up at Remus and he nodded his head. "Yeah, we can go to sleep now," he responded. He pulled back the blankets on our bed and then pulled them up to my neck after I had settled under them. "What did Alexa have to talk to you about? I didn't see anyone for the rest of the party. James, Blair, Peter and Lily were nowhere to be found; and then I saw Sirius briefly, but he looked to be in a foul mood so I just came up here to read."

"Ugh. Remus, everything has gone pear-shaped. Things are not good at all," I explained. "I'll get into the details later, but essentially, Sirius is mad at Alexa because Lily found out something, Alexa is mad at Sirius because he wants her to do something she doesn't want to, Lily is mad at James because of something he did with Blair, and now my head hurts and I am sleepy."

Remus shifted to turn toward me and had a dumbfounded look on his face. "What did James do with Blair?" he pressed.

"Well, by their disheveled clothes and hair when they came out of James's dormitory, I would guess that they were having sex. Oh, and Alexa said she walked in on them," I clarified.

He leaned his head back against his pillow and shook his head in disbelief. "Well, I seem to have missed some pretty interesting things this evening," he mused. I nodded my head in agreement and gave him a smile. Remus put his arm under my head and pulled me closer to him. "I'm glad you're back in the thick of things, even if everything is shot to hell right now. We don't have too much longer here, and I hated the thought of you not being able to spend your last months at Hogwarts with Alexa and everyone else."

I smiled to myself as I thought of all my friends and the memories I've made at Hogwarts over the years. Remus was right, even though we've been through some bad times and even when things are a total cluster, I was so glad to be back in the middle of it. Along with those memories came a bittersweet feeling. "It makes me sad to think we won't have this for much longer," I confessed. I could feel the warm salty tears begin to threaten their escape. "What are we going to do without these crazy fools we've chosen as our family in our lives every day?"

"We'll probably have far less complicated lives," Remus joked, giving me a squeeze. I dug my elbow into his side to warn him that this was no joking matter. "Alright now," he responded to my physical chastisement. "It won't be the same, and we'll be faced with a whole new set of responsibilities with work and the Order, but we'll still see each other. I truly believe that. We're in each other's lives for better or for worse."

The life I had envisioned for Remus and me after school had changed drastically on several different occasions over the last year, and I hadn't given much thought to it lately. I wasn't sure what the future held for Remus and me anymore, and I was becoming more and more okay with that uncertainty, even though it scared me.

"What do you think we'll be doing a year from now?" I postulated, closing my eyes and allowing Remus's scent to further intoxicate me closer to sleep.

He shifted slightly and let out a long sigh. "In a perfect world, with no Order and no upheaval in the magical world, I would say that I see us living in our flat living quite an ordinary life. I spend my days off at some ministry job that I swore I would never take but that I secretly love, while you go off to become wildly successful in your career as a…"

After a few moments of him drifting off I realized that he was waiting for me to fill in the blank. I responded with the first thing my tired mind could come up with. "Healer," I added, the word resonating deep in me.

"A healer, of course," he continued. "Alexa and Sirius will by some miracle still be together, but not without their inevitable troubles. Alexa will spend much of her time whinging about how Sirius did this or that to piss her off, and Sirius will spend countless nights on our couch when Alexa locks him out." I couldn't help the small laugh that escaped me as I pictured this. "James and Lily will finally admit that they are both crazy about one another and finally put us all out of our misery. And who knows, maybe Pete and Blair will end up together in a crazy turn of events."

I sat up abruptly after his last statement and rolled my eyes at his shit-eating grin. "I wouldn't hold your breath," I cautioned, lying back down. "It sounds like a pretty brilliant life."

Remus placed a kiss on the top of my head and then reached over to turn off the light beside his side of the bed. The events from the night began to fade into the far corners of my mind, and they were replaced by the emptiness of sleep.

The sound of a door closing roused me from my deep sleep. I don't think I had moved a single inch during the night, because I was still in Remus's arms as I opened my eyes to look around. He was still sound asleep, and his sandy brown hair was sticking up in a million different directions. I smiled to myself, carefully removed myself from his hold and slipped out of bed.

Grabbing my robe, I headed for the door that led out to the common room of our dormitory. To my surprise, I found Alexa by the fireplace with a cup of tea and a sheepish smile on her face. I made a mental note to change the password to our dormitory later. I closed the door to our room behind me and moved closer to where Alexa was sitting.

I pulled my robe tighter around my body to guard against the chill in the room. "Alexa, what are you doing up here?" I asked in a hushed tone. "And why are you drinking my tea?"

She looked down at the cup in her hand and then back at me. "You want a cup?" she asked with a smile. Rolling my eyes at her, I took the cup from her and took a sip of the warm contents letting it warm me from the inside out. I noticed that Alexa kept looking past me toward the second room that was beside mine and Remus's. With a guilty look on her face she said, "So, I either did something really, really stupid, or something kind of ingenious."

"Oh no, Alex, what did you do?" I questioned. She hesitated for a moment as if she wasn't sure if she should tell me and then she walked past me toward the second bedroom. We had cleared out all of the baby stuff from the room and there was now an extra bed in there. Alexa's hand met the metal doorknob and she slowly turned it. Sitting on the bed, looking very angry, was one Lily Evans. "Fucking hell," I muttered as I gave Alexa a look.

Alexa pulled me into the room and closed the door behind her. "Am I going to be allowed to leave any time soon," Lily questioned, directing it mostly at Alexa.

I turned once more to Alexa with wide eyes and an open mouth. "What did you do?" I reiterated my earlier question, much more forcefully this time around.

"Lils, you were mad last night, I couldn't let you go back to the girls' dorm for fear you might murder Blair, and you have some information that we really need to talk to you about. It was really for your own good," Alexa explained as she took a seat on the bed. I followed suit and Lily just shook her head.

"I am so sorry about this, Lily," I apologized. "And when I said we needed to clear things up with her I didn't mean kidnap her and hold her hostage." Alexa shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "Lily, Alexa told me that you found the letter she received about joining the Order. Knowledge of the Order was not meant to be known by anyone other than those invited to be in it. It's of great importance that this organization remain secret. Alexa was just concerned you might say something to someone not in the Order and that she would get in trouble."

Alexa nodded her head in agreement of what I had just said. Lily visibly relaxed and let out a small laugh. "Is that seriously what all this was about?" she asked. Alexa again nodded her head. "Alexa, don't worry, your secret is safe with me. I was asked to be in the Order too, I just hadn't gotten my letter yet because I hadn't turned seventeen. No one has to know you lost your letter, although you should probably be a little more careful if you're going to be a part of a secret society."

Alexa launched forward and tackled Lily down onto the bed in a hug. "Evans, you have made me the happiest person alive," she gushed as Lily broke out into a fit of laughter. "Thanks for not outing me to Dumbledore."

Lilly patted Alexa's arm to return her thanks. "And I guess I should really thank you for keeping me here against my will last night," she told Alexa. "I was a little drunk and I probably would have said and done some things to both Blair and James if I had encountered either one of them." I gave Alexa a look that we shouldn't meddle in this, but Lily continued. "I just can't believe James would do that," she said, a quiet sadness in her voice. "I was in a really good place with both Blair and James, and I actually thought we could make a go of things. I should have known they would get back together."

I took another sip of the tea Alexa had made and then grabbed Lily's hand. "Well, it may not be what you think it is," I cautioned. I had no idea what Blair and James were thinking, but I had a hard time believing that either of them would do anything to hurt Lily. "Maybe you should just talk to them and see if things can be sorted." I gave her a hopeful smile and then looked to Alexa. "That goes for you too," I instructed, "Next time, you just need to clear things up by using your words, not by kidnapping the person. So maybe you should try that with Sirius."

Alexa held onto Lily tighter and cuddled her. "Don't worry, I would never kidnap Sirius, he'd be too much work."

After a few moments of shared laughter, Remus appeared in the doorway with sleepy eyes and disheveled hair. He looked at the three of us with a shake of his head and a yawn. He joined us on the bed and curled up beside me, placing his head in my lap. "We need to change the password," he announced as he closed his eyes.

* * *

While everything hadn't quite been sorted from the previous night, I couldn't dwell on all that seeing as exams were looming and I had several essays that needed finishing. I had started getting back into the swing of studying, but I finally felt like I was back on the grind and operating like a well-oiled machine.

Remus and I had left Alexa and Lily in our dormitory and headed to the library together to get some peace and quiet and to get some work done. I squeezed in a few more sentences on the already full piece of parchment and then handed it to Remus. He flicked his wand and dried my ink before handing me another piece to continue my writing. The words were flowing freely through my quill and I just felt like I was going to be able to accomplish so much today.

And as soon as that thought crossed my mind, I knew I had just doomed myself to a totally nonproductive day. Alexa and Blair appeared at the front of the library and I could see their eyes scanning the bodies before them searching for familiar faces. Alexa spotted Remus and I first and patted Blair on the shoulder to lead her in our direction. They plopped themselves down in the seats across from Remus and I, and their lack of books made it apparent that they weren't here to study.

"Lyla, there you are," Alexa sighed as she slumped forward on the table. "Remus," she said with a nod. Remus nodded back and then returned to his book. "We have been looking everywhere for you." The fact that Blair was with her meant that she and Lily had parted ways at some point. "Sirius is still cross with me, and frankly, I'm not too pleased with him. He had the audacity to totally ignore and avoid me in the Great Hall. I'm the one who should be doing the avoiding!"

I sat there in silence after Alexa finished and she watched me with big questioning eyes. "I'm not sure what you're looking for me to say," I told her truthfully.

Alexa let out a huff and crossed her arms. "You're Lyla, you're good with this stuff. I need you to help me sort all this out by sorting Sirius out," she explained.

"Can't you see that I'm busy here," I questioned, motioning to my essay in front of me. "You should be spending your time studying like Remus and I, and a little less time being mad at Sirius when you know full well that this will all blow over after one of you realizes that you're wrong and apologizes."

Blair and Alexa exchanged a look, clearly unsatisfied with my response. Alexa's eyes narrowed at me and she scrunched up her expression. "I feel like you're implying that I'm wrong, and should therefore apologize, but I can assure you, dear sister, that it will be Sirius who apologizes." Remus cleared his throat to cover up his snickering. Alexa shifted her heated gaze to Remus, who purposefully stared harder at his book.

She sat back in her seat, backing off her attack, and slipped into a more relaxed posture. "Seeing as you have no concern for my problems, maybe you can show a little more compassion for Blair's woes." Alexa motioned for Blair to take over.

I let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of my nose. Was it too much to ask to have an hour of uninterrupted studying? Blair shifted in her spot and sat up a little straighter. "I would like to start off by saying that I am not super proud of how things transpired last night," Blair began.

"And what exactly transpired last night?" Remus questioned, a clueless look on his face and completely feigning ignorance. Blair's face turned bright red. I leaned over and dug my elbow into his thigh. While I found it slightly amusing, poor Blair was clearly very embarrassed, and I hated to see her like that.

Blair brushed the hair out of her face and composed herself. She cleared her throat, "The specifics of last night aren't all that important. Besides, I'm sure you'll hear about it from a certain speckled git." I watched as a wave of annoyance washed over her, and it passed just as quickly as it came on. "Anyways, the takeaway from all this is that I've decided to abstain from all boys, romantically and most certainly sexually.

"I just need to focus on my relationship with myself. And that will leave me more time to focus on my friends. My friends who are _just friends_." I nodded along with a small smile and wide eyes as Blair rambled on. "And you know where I'm going to start? Lily and James. Those two crazy kids deserve one another and they are perfect together. And I'm going to help make that happen."

Silence filled the space between us. Remus scratched at his temple and shifted uncomfortably. Poor guy had been on the receiving end of a lot of information that he probably would have rather not heard over the years as a result of our tendency to overshare. Although, he knew what he was getting himself into after we started dating and he married me anyway, so I really couldn't feel too bad for him.

I placed both of my hands on the table and pushed myself up to a standing position. "Well, Blair, there's certainly a lot to unpack from that," I told her. "And it sounds like something that you need to do alone. And silently." I moved to the other side of Remus, starting to move toward the stacks and grabbed Remus's arm. "So, while you start to sort all that out, I'm going to go look for a book, and Remus is going to help me."

Remus followed behind me, taking my hand in his. Before we could get too far, Alexa yelled after us, "Don't worry, we'll be here when you get back!" There was a loud 'shush' that came from somewhere in the library, appropriately reprimanding Alexa.

After we were securely hidden in between two large stacks of books, I stopped abruptly and turned on my heels to face Remus. He leaned his arm against the shelf to his right and looked to me with a smirk. "We are the only sane people we know," I informed him. "Everyone has gone mad. Everyone. How am I supposed to pass my classes and pass my N.E.W.T.S. if I can't ever get some quiet to study?" Remus's smile widened and I looked back at him, annoyed that he clearly wasn't taking me seriously.

I let out a huff and crossed my arms to show my displeasure. In response, he reached forward and tucked a piece of stray hair behind my ear. His hand trailed down my arm and he cupped my elbow gently, pulling me closer to him. "You're pretty sexy when you're freaking out about school," he teased me.

Raising an eyebrow at him, I wrapped my arms around his waist. "Oh yeah?" I countered. "Is that what does it for you?" Remus nodded his head and leaned down to kiss me.

However, that moment between us was interrupted because of course it was. "You two are into some weird shit," a voice from the next row commented. Remus and I pulled apart and looked for the source of the voice. There was a small gap in the books on the shelf we were next to and the one in the next row, creating a window where we found Sirius and James peering back at us. "Greetings," Sirius added as James waved.

Remus shook his head and shifted some of the books to close the gap. Moments later James and Sirius appeared in our row and joined us. Sirius clapped Remus on the back and then threw his arm around my shoulders. "I'll admit, when Alexa briefly became dedicated to her studies, I was oddly turned on by it, so I totally get it." I elbowed Sirius in his ribs and shoved him off me.

Sirius rubbed at the tender spot as he laughed and nodded to James. "I think what Sirius was trying to say was that we need your help," James chimed in. Why was I not surprised? "After what transpired last night, we need to do some damage control today."

I quickly began to shake my head. "James, I don't even know where to start with your problems, but whatever problems you two have found yourself in, you're going to have to solve them on your own," I instructed.

In a totally reactionary move and show of drama, James slammed his hand on the wood of the shelf beside him and looked at Remus and I with a stern face. "Dammit Lyla, you know full well that we will just shit the bed even more if we try to do this on our own!"

My mouth fell open slightly and I looked up at Remus in disbelief and very little tolerance for all this shit today. Remus just ran his hands over his face. I stepped forward toward James, pointing my finger in James's face fully ready to tear him a new one. Before I said anything too cruel, I paused and collected my thoughts.

"You are on thin ice, Potter," I warned, "Just know that. Now, you two shut up, follow me, and don't ask a single fucking question." I turned my back on Sirius and James and stormed past Remus back toward the table where Blair and Alexa were still sitting. "Nobody say a word," I began as Alexa went to protest the presence of Sirius. "I am spending way too much time dealing with your problems, and none of us are spending nearly enough time studying for the exams that will literally determine our futures. So, we are going to have a study group, you will all be there, grab your books, meet me in our common room in twenty minutes, and somebody better bring some goddamn snacks."

All of my friends stared back at me with confused and mildly startled looks. "Oh, my dear Mrs. Lupin," I heard the familiar voice of Professor Slughorn exclaim from behind me. I gave him a small smile and a wave as I turned around to face him. "Your enthusiasm for your studies is truly inspiring," he gushed. "I just know you are destined for great things, great things indeed." I gave him a nod of thanks, not really sure where he was going with this. "I would love it if you would conduct a study group with the whole potions class. I think everyone could use a firm hand to guide their studies and you are just the one to do it. What do you say?"

"Oh, Professor, I'm flattered, but I'm not so sure that's a great idea," I responded, trying to get out of this situation as quickly as possible. The last thing I wanted to do was spend any significant time with the Slytherins, especially in light of recent events. "I think that would be a bit too big of a group for me to manage."

Slughorn waved me off. "Now, never mind that," he encouraged, "You are a very capable student and I'm sure you'll do just fine. We'll set something up at our next class." Not leaving any room for discussion, Slughorn gave me a pat on my shoulder and exited the library.

Turning back to the table, I grabbed my books and my bag and caught the smirks on everyone's faces. "I am fully aware that I brought that upon myself, and I regret everything," I stated. "Twenty minutes. Bring snacks." Sirius saluted me and Blair gave me a thumbs up. Remus followed after me and fell in step beside me as we headed toward our dormitory.

"You know," Remus started, taking my hand in his, "We have twenty minutes before everyone shows up. Any chance I can get a private lesson with my personal tutor?" He gave me a wink and I couldn't help but laugh.

I squeezed his hand tighter and leaned into him. "I think we could arrange something," I assured him, "But I was dead serious about studying, my dear. We need to get some serious studying done before any extracurricular activities take place. Believe me, I'd much rather hole myself up with you for the rest of the evening, but we will never get any peace while Alexa and Sirius are at odds; or while Blair, James and Lily figure out this weird twisted love triangle they've found themselves in."

Remus rolled his eyes and nodded his head. "Fine," he groaned. "Can we please get less complicated friends, who leave us alone, and only contact us on holidays and special occasions?"

Even though our friends reached the height of ridiculousness on a daily basis, and we somehow find ourselves in the middle of silly squabbles far too often that for some reason always need to be solved by some elaborate plan, I wouldn't have it any other way. I was beginning to realize that they all annoyed me like only family could. Since Alexa was actually family, she'd be in my life forever no matter what, which had recently been confirmed.

But Sirius, James, Peter, Blair and Lily were a part of the family I had chosen during the past six years at Hogwarts, and I loved them every bit as much as the rest of my family. But that also meant that they got under my skin like only family could. And I loved that about them.

Remus and I entered into our dormitory and we threw our bags on the floor by our feet as we collapsed onto our couch. "Remus, you and I both know that our lives would be woefully dull if we had any other friends," I broke it to him. "So, we are going to welcome our friends into our space, help them pass their final year in school, and keep them from going at each other's throats."

"Sounds fun," he muttered. He wasn't showing it on his face, but I could tell he truly meant it. Not a moment later, there was a knock on the door, which was an odd occurrence given that everyone usually just barged in whenever they felt like it. "Come in."

Alexa's head peeked in through the cracked door with a sheepish grin. "Is it safe to come in?" she questioned hesitantly. "I come bearing pastries and other assorted confections." Remus waved her in and she fully entered the room, her arms cradling a large collection of treats. My stomach growled at the sight of those tasty morsels. Blair trailed behind Alexa, who closed the door behind them.

I reached out for one of the pastries that Alexa had in her arms and bit into the flaky crust. The sweet buttery goodness flooded my senses and gave Alexa a nod of approval. They both took a seat on the floor around the coffee table. "All right, we've got snacks and we've got books. Now, all we need is the rest of the study group," Blair announced.

As if on cue, the door flew open and the other three Marauders poured into the room, looking noticeably empty handed. They literally had nothing with them. No books, no bags, no snacks. "Um, Pads, I think you're forgetting something, mate," Remus astutely pointed out.

Sirius glanced around confused at Peter and James and then back at Remus. "I'm not sure what you mean, Moony. We got Peter," he responded, as if that explained everything. While not technically wrong, they did get Peter, that wasn't exactly the point of this whole gathering.

"While I'm delighted to see you, Peter, did you all not think that books would come in handy for a study session?" I questioned. Their hesitation clearly told me that it had not even occurred to them.

"It would seem that there are books aplenty," James observed, signaling to our book bags in front of us.

Alexa rolled her eyes and threw Sirius a pointed look. I let out a breath and shook my head. "Will you three just sit down, so we can get started?" I instructed. Sirius and James shrugged their shoulders and the three boys joined us around the coffee table. "So, I was thinking we'd start with Defense Against the Dark Arts. There is a lot to cover for the exam, and we should definitely get a jump on that. I think we should _silently_ review the first chapter and then we can discuss."

Those of us with books flipped to the first chapter in the book and pulled out our notes from class. Sirius leaned over slightly toward Alexa to look off her book, but when she realized what he was doing, she pulled away and shielded her book from him. They began to bicker back and forth in heated whispers, if you could even call them whispers given the current decibel.

I snapped around to look at Remus and motioned toward Alexa and Sirius. He shook his head telling me that I should just let it go. And maybe I should have let it go, but did I let it go? Of course not, because that's not who I am, and Remus should know that by now.

Alexa held Sirius away at arm's length as he continued to try and read her book. I slammed my book on the table and everyone snapped to attention. Sirius and Alexa looked back at me guiltily, Blair and James kept trying not to look at each other, and Peter's eyes drifted up to the ceiling so as not to be implicated in anything.

"Enough with the two of you," I demanded of my sister and Sirius. "We are going to settle whatever is going on between the two of you right here and now. You are squabbling like school children. So, who wants to go first?"

No one spoke. For the first time, neither Alexa nor Sirius had anything to say. Pretty typical. Sirius motioned to Alexa. "Ladies first." She rolled her eyes at him and shook her head as she bit back some remark.

"You're being a real twat right now," she directed toward Sirius. She let out a groan. "Fine, I feel like Sirius is overreacting and is lashing out at me for no good reason."

Sirius looked outraged and looked to be in disbelief. "No good reason?" he countered. "No good reason? I think I have reason enough to be upset. You lost your letter for the Order. Do you understand what could happen if knowledge of the Order got into the hands of the wrong people? This is more than just about you misplacing a letter, people's lives are at stake!"

Alexa tossed her book onto the floor and shifted to face Sirius square on. "You don't think I know that?!" she responded. "I know what's at stake, Sirius. That's why I want to be a part of the Order. I— "

Sirius didn't leave room for her to continue. "Alexa, you can't even manage to keep hold of a damn letter! How are you going to keep yourself safe, if you can't even keep track of your things? I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happens to you."

I grabbed Remus's hand and gave it a squeeze as my heart hurt for Sirius. This all just came down to how much Sirius cared for Alexa. Say what you want about those two, but they had so much love for one another. Alexa went to say something, but paused. "Oh, Sirius," she started, sadness in her voice. "Believe it or not, I do have more regard for my life than I do for my possessions." She scooted closer to him and wrapped her hands around his neck. "I admit that I acted irresponsibly by misplacing my letter, and I deeply regret that. But I'm joining the Order because this is a cause that I believe in, and if you're out there fighting for me, I need to be out there fighting beside you. I can't just sit at home and wonder if you're going to come home, and that goes for any of you."

Sirius leaned forward and placed a kiss on her cheek. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to lash out at you," Sirius apologized. "Whether we like it or not, we are facing dangerous times, and we're all going to face some ugly stuff, so we might as well stick together. I just need you to promise me that you are going to be careful and not do anything too reckless."

Alexa cupped Sirius's cheek and shook her head. "I'll promise, if you'll promise the same," she challenged. When Sirius didn't say anything, and clearly looked like he was trying to find a way to get out of this, Alexa continued. "How about we both promise that we'll do what we need to do, but we'll always try to let each other know what's going on?" Sirius nodded in agreement and they sealed it with a handshake. Sirius pulled Alexa toward him and she settled between his legs, leaning her back against his body with a laugh. "All right, now that we're all sorted, is there anything else that needs to be discussed?" There were some vague mumblings around the circle, but I noticed that Alexa was subtly nodding toward Blair and James.

I shook my head sternly to convey that this probably wasn't the time to dive into that mess. While I didn't think ignoring each other was the best way to move on from their dalliance, they were being quiet and playing nice, which was exactly what I was looking for in a study group. Alexa pressed on, however, making her gestures all the more obvious and clearing her throat.

"For the love of Merlin," Remus blurted out, exacerbated by our antics. "We all know that you two slept together, and to be honest, I don't think even you two know why," he lectured Blair and James. "It happened, you both are clearly feeling weird about it, but now that it's out in the open there's no need to ever bring it up again. Fair?"

Blair, her eyes as wide as I'd ever seen them, nodded her head vigorously, James joining in that sentiment. Remus clapped his hands together. "Brilliant. You two got totally pissed, shagged, and realize now that you are just meant to be friends. Anything to add? Again, Blair and James just shook their heads. "Consider it settled, you two can resume your friendship, making things far less awkward for the rest of us, and we can finally get down to the business before us." He motioned to the book in his lap as Alexa and Sirius rolled their eyes at him and Blair slid her book toward James and Peter to share with her. I had never been more in love with the man next to me than I was in this moment.

* * *

It was a few days before Easter Break, and you could feel the excitement throughout the Great Hall. We had all been busting our asses studying lately, and we were all starting to feel a little burned out and desperately needed some time away from our studies. With only a couple days in between us and freedom, everyone was feeling a bit restless. We all sat at the large stretch of Gryffindor tables as we passed around the food before us.

Sirius held a platter of confections out to James, but this gesture didn't even register with the poor boy. Following James's gaze I found the familiar red hair and slight frame of Lily Evans sitting down at the far end of the table. It was as if James was in a trance. Lily briefly turned from the girl she was talking to and glanced in James's direction. His longing face lit up as he attempted to give the girl a small wave, but this was rebuked as Lily turned her back to him.

As quickly as James's face lit up, it returned to its former expression of sadness and pining. My heart ached for James. Now that he and Blair had confirmed that there was nothing romantic between them, it had become abundantly clear that he had some pretty strong, repressed feelings for our dear Lily. Who saw that coming? Everyone, literally everyone but James apparently.

Sirius finally realized that James was paying him no attention and pushed the platter into his chest. "Oi, what's the problem, Prongs?" he prodded. James took the platter and set it on the table in front of him and continued to look down at his plate. I cocked my head in the direction of Lily, and Sirius astutely picked up on my hint. Sirius let out a sigh and threw his arm around his best friend. "Oh mate, have a pastry, that'll make you feel better. Pastries always make you feel better."

James reluctantly took the sweet bread being offered to him and took a bite. Unfortunately, this didn't look like a heartbreak that could be solved by consuming sugar and carbs, and in my experience, most could. As I watched James consume the entire croissant in record time, I just knew I had to help the poor kid out. Maybe it wasn't too late for him and Lily.

An additional wave of excitement spread through the Great Hall as a number of owls flew overhead delivering their various letters and parcels to their recipients. The familiar feathers of mine and Alexa's owl Jagger passed over us, and dropped a letter in front of me. The front of the envelope was addressed to both Alexa and I, and I quickly identified the handwriting of our father.

Neither our father nor mother wrote to us particularly often, and it was even more strange that he had sent something seeing as we were due to be home in only a couple of days. As I opened the letter, I could feel Alexa's eyes on me. My eyes quickly scanned the words scrawled across the parchment in my father's broken cursive. As I neared the end of the letter, Alexa leaned across the table, a perplexed look on her face. "Lyla, what is it?"

I handed her the letter and began to explain. "Mum and Dad don't think we should come home for Easter. They've heard from some of Dad's friends at the ministry that things aren't safe, so they want us to stay here where it'll be safer."

Alexa gripped the letter tightly as she read to confirm everything I was telling her. "He says not to worry?" she postulated. "Does he really expect us not to be worried when he's telling us that it's too dangerous to travel home for a holiday? What if they're in danger."

Remus's hand went to my back, his touch calming my anxieties slightly. Sirius took the letter from Alexa and folded it back up, tucking it away into his robes. "I'll take this to Dumbledore and see if I can get any answers about what's going on," he suggested. "In the meantime, we'll all just plan to stick around the castle for the holiday, and we'll make the most of it. Everything is going to work out."

"It's so weird," Blair muttered, pushing her plate away with half the food untouched. "We live in our own little world here, and we're so insulated that we don't even realize how bad things are getting. How are we supposed to fight against the evils out there when we don't even know what we're meant to be fighting?"

I grabbed for Blair's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "We'll get through this. Together," James stated with confidence. "There's nothing we can do now, but to carry on as usual and enjoy these next few days without classes."

James always did have a knack for lightening serious discussions and diffusing anxieties. "You know," Alexa started, with a mischievous look in her eye, "I heard that Lily is staying for the break as well. Might be a good opportunity to mend some fences."

We all watched James to read his reaction. James and Blair had sorted through their stuff and both were comfortable with them dating other people. It was clear that James still held a strong flame for Lily, but after what happened between him and Blair, he was going to have to do some serious groveling to get back in Lily's good graces.

He shifted in his seat uncomfortably and he began to mutter something to himself. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lily slip out of the Great Hall, which clearly didn't escape James's notice. James stood up from the table and gave Remus a pat on the back. "Well, I'm going to use this time to reflect on my life and the deep intricacies of this world," he rambled as he began to back away toward the entrance to the Great Hall. "I'll catch up with you all later. Or not. We'll see what happens." He turned and hurried away, no doubt in search of a particular Head Girl.

"There's something not right with that boy," Sirius said, shaking his head. Sirius placed both hands on the table and pushed himself up. "I'm off, got a meeting with Filch."

Alexa looked up at him, a perplexed look on his face. "Why on earth would you need to meet with Filch? I thought Filch and the Marauders had a love-hate relationship that mostly trended on the hate end of the spectrum," she pointed out.

Sirius just shrugged his shoulders. "Little Sirius has a play date with Mrs. Norris tomorrow. But precautions need to be taken when two cats of mortal enemies begin a relationship. I'm not about to subject Little Sirius to any of Filch's tomfoolery. I told you about this ages ago, Alex. Sometimes I don't think you listen to me at all."

"You most certainly did not tell me that you were arranging a play date for my cat," Alexa assured him. Knowing she wasn't going to get anywhere with Sirius, Alexa just gave into the madness. "Just make sure that Little Sirius behaves himself and doesn't pick up any weird habits from Mrs. Norris. There's no telling what Filch teaches that cat."

Sirius gave Alexa a firm nod and a thumbs up before turning to Remus. "Moons, it's probably best for you to accompany me to keep things civil between me and Filch," Sirius requested. "I can't be held responsible for what I do or say when Little Sirius is involved." Remus placed a kiss on my cheek and went to follow after Sirius, without any further discussion.

The weekend finally rolled around and the castle felt empty after the exodus of students for the short break. There was a peaceful quiet that filled the corridors and it made Hogwarts feel even more massive. It was bitter cold outside, the kind of cold that made you want to snuggle under the covers and never leave. However, we were getting a little stir crazy and we had all decided we would join some of the other students heading down to Hogsmeade for a visit.

Alexa and I made our way back from the kitchens, hot mugs of hot cocoa in our hands. We had big plans to read trashy magazines and paint our nails until it was time to head to Hogsmeade. Even though we were in no real rush, we decided to use one of the shortcuts to Gryffindor Tower that was on the Marauder's Map. Entering the darkened, secluded passageway, we stumbled upon something unexpected.

Down at the other end of the long passageway stood a dejected-looking Lily and a pitiful-looking James. Alexa and I stopped dead in our tracks and clung close to the wall, so as not to be seen. "Lily, I just need a chance to explain to you what happened," James pleaded.

Lily uncrossed her arms and shifted her weight onto her other hip. The stance she was currently in was the universal stance that conveyed anger, annoyance, and being absolutely pissed. Alexa's eyebrows went up and she gave me a look. We both had been in Lily's shoes and we completely pitied James right now.

"I don't know how many different ways I can say this," Lily spat, her voice loud and firm. "You did a really shitty thing, and I'm not ready to forgive you for it. I'm not entirely sure I'll ever be able to forgive you. And I don't appreciate you cornering me in abandoned corridors just to sell me the same bullshit story that I'm sure you've peddled to several girls at this point."

James let out a sigh and ran his hands through his hair. "This isn't some bullshit story, Lily," he told her. "Things are different with you. You're different. At this point, I think you have some notion of this, but I've never just came right out and said it."

He paused and I could tell he was trying to find the absolutely right words to express to Lily how he felt. I couldn't help but smile and my heart warmed for James. Just as James started to talk again, instead of hearing James's voice, I heard an ungodly loud slurping noise from right beside me. Alexa was sipping from her mug of cocoa as she watched the scene before us. Her face twisted in pain as she swallowed and her hand went to her mouth. "Oh shit, that's hot," she cursed, clearly much louder than intended.

James and Lily turned to look in our direction, a mix of shock and anger on their faces. I shot them a guilty grin and gave them a small wave. Alexa and I moved from our perches and treaded lightly toward James and Lily. "Hey," I greeted them sheepishly, "We're just passing through. We didn't hear anything, pretend we're not here."

Lily help up her hand for us to stop. "Don't bother, I was just about to leave," she informed us. She moved past us and left James to give Alexa and I some really angry looks.

"Lily, will you please wait?" James pleaded, going after Lily. To my surprise, Lily stopped, her back still to James. "I need to tell you something really important. Come with me to Hogsmeade this afternoon, I'll buy you a beverage of your choice, and speak my peace. If after that you never want to speak to me again, I will respect that and leave you be."

The silence that followed was torture. She was really making James sweat with this one. When Lily finally spoke, I felt like I was able to breathe again. "Anything to be done with this whole thing. And I want two butterbeers."

I could tell that James was smiling and he looked relieved. "Done," he agreed. "I'll meet you in the Common Room around three." Lily continued out of the passageway without another word. Then James turned back to Alexa and I, looking very displeased. "You two are really killing me lately." I grimaced at him and shrugged my shoulders. "First, you show up with Lily at a really inopportune time after I slept with Blair. Now, I'm trying to repair that disaster by confessing my feelings for her and here you are again ruining everything."

Alexa let out a contrary groan. "Did she not just agree to go to Hogsmeade with you?" Alexa asked, rhetorically. "You're clearly on the mend with our dear Lily. You've just got to really turn on the charm and make the most of this trip. Don't screw this up, Potter." She gave James a pat on the back for encouragement. She raised her mug to James and then started to back away. "Damn, this is good cocoa."

As luck would have it, the snow that gently started that morning was now a raging blizzard. We had all gathered in the Common Room as the time drew near to leave for Hogsmeade, and out the window you could hardly see anything outside. There was a wall of thick white snow falling and it didn't look like there would be any relief in the near future. McGonagall eventually joined us in the Common Room and informed us that the Hogsmeade trip had been cancelled due to the weather.

James looked like he had been sucker-punched in the stomach when McGonagall told us the news. He was very much looking forward to the opportunity to win over Lily. Sirius clapped James on the back and gave him a sympathetic smile. "Mate, it'll all work out, you can figure out something else to win over your fair lass," he assured him.

These words didn't seem to comfort James, however. James just shook his head and his whole body conveyed defeat. "What's the use?" he postulated. "I completely fucked this up with Lily, and this is just the universe's way of punishing me."

Alexa and I exchanged a sad look. I felt for James, and it pained me to see him so upset. I truly did believe that he and Lily could really make a go of things, he just needed to make things right and then to not muck everything up again. Impulsively, I made the decision that it was time to meddle, even though I had promised not to do so.

"The universe be damned!" I told him forcefully. Alexa was the only one who seemed to be excited by my words. She gave me a huge smile and bounced up and down in her spot with energy. "We are not going to let a little snow ruin your plan. James, go find Lily and tell her that you two are still on for tonight, and that you've figured out another plan. Then meet Alexa and I in the Room of Requirements and we'll get things sorted. And you two," I said turning to Remus and Sirius, who looked a little nervous about what I was going to ask of them. "Just stay out of trouble."

Sirius laughed and jumped on Remus's back. "Lyls, you know that trouble finds us," he pointed out. "We are totally powerless." We all collectively rolled our eyes, knowing that was total bullshit. "Prongs, best of luck on your romantic endeavors, you are in good hands. Mooney, let's go stay out of trouble near the Slytherin dungeons."

I gave Remus a look, imploring him to be good, but he just shrugged his shoulders as Sirius ushered him out of the Common Room. We dismissed James to go find Lily and then Alexa and I headed for the Room of Requirements. "So, what's the plan, Lyls?" Alexa asked. "And might I say, I am so glad that you decided to meddle."

"I have no plan," I admitted as we neared our destination. "I just felt bad for James and knew we needed to help. But we've got our work cut out for us. Lily is one stubborn lady, and James is already at a bit of a deficit."

Alexa nodded her head knowingly. Once we were in the Room of Requirements, we stared at the blank, empty room that was before us, and tried to figure out what would help James to impress Lily, apologize for his transgressions, and win Lily over. "What if we brought Hogsmeade to Lily?" Alexa suggested.

I thought about it for a moment and then gave Alexa a huge approving smile. "Alex, that's brilliant," I praised. "We can pull in different aspects of the shops and they can have their own personal Hogsmeade right here." If this didn't make Lily feel all romantic inside, I don't know what would.

We set to work conjuring up different smaller versions of the shops in Hogsmeade around the room. The magic of the Room of Requirements was unparalleled and it was truly amazing how it could shift and form to fit our imaginations. In one corner there were barrels of differing candies including Bertie Botts and Chocolate Wands, which Alexa and I sampled, of course. In another corner, there were samplings of some of Zonko's finest tricks and jokes. At the center of the room was a booth and a bar that resembled the Three Broomsticks so much that even the carvings in the wood were identical, and butterbeers lined the entire bar. We included teas and cakes from Madam Puddifoot's, some clothes from Gladrags and even some quills from Scrivenshaft's. Alexa insisted on including the quills because 'Lily was into that kind of shit.'

Connecting the little areas around the room were little cobblestone paths and we even had a light snow falling. There's just nothing more romantic than a snowy stroll. We stood at the entrance and admired what we had come up with and felt really good about it. We heard the door open behind us and James's eyes widened as he saw what surrounded us.

"Bloody hell," he said softly, looking all around. "I'm going to need to keep you two around to plan all of my dates." Alexa and I exchanged a congratulatory nod. "So, Lily is going to be here in half an hour, tell me all I need to know."

"James, this is all you," Alexa told him. "We gave you the stage, now you just need to kill the performance. Speak from your heart and try not to mention Blair."

He nodded, taking in all the advice. I stepped forward and pulled him in for a hug. "You can do this, Potter," I encouraged. "Deep down, Lily likes you, you just need to remind her of all the reasons why."

"And this is really some of our best work, and it would be a damn shame if you ruined this masterpiece," Alexa added with a serious smile. James responded with a nervous laugh. "We're going to leave you to it, and you come find us after and let us know how it goes."

"I half expected you two to hide under the invisibility cloak and watch the whole thing," James joked. But he didn't know how close to the truth he was. Alexa had wanted to do just that, but we both decided that we needed to give them their privacy, and we'd probably be found out anyways. It was important that Lily know that this was all from James.

Alexa and I exchanged a look, knowing it was better not to say anything. "Well, best of luck, friend," I told him. "Knock 'em dead." I gave him another hug, followed by Alexa, and then we left him to his own devices. We made our way back to mine and Remus's dormitory and got comfortable on the couch in front of the fire. We tried to distract ourselves with various things like face masks, card games, and magazines, but we would inevitably start talking about how we thought things were going.

After some time passed, we hoped that this had meant things were going well. If things had been a total disaster James would have already come back with his tail between his legs, no doubt. There was some commotion outside the door, and Alexa and I perked up, expecting to see James come through the door. To our surprise, it was Remus and Sirius who entered. Alexa and I both let out a disappointed sigh and sunk back into the couch.

"Don't look so disappointed to see us," Sirius complained after he saw how we reacted. "I come bearing gifts." He pulled the two-way mirror from behind his back and held it up for us to see. "Someone wants to talk to you."

Alexa jumped up off the couch and snagged the mirror from Sirius, placed a kiss on his lips and then joined me back on the couch. In the mirror was James and he looked as if he was in a dark room. "James, how did it go?" Alexa asked excitedly. "You're smiling so it must have gone well."

James shook his head to the contrary. "Oh, it was a total disaster," he said, a smile still on his face. I was so confused about what was going on. Why was he smiling if it was a total disaster?! "I couldn't seem to do anything right. I choked on a chocolate frog, stumbled into a candle that fell and lit the quills on fire and then in the process of dousing the flames with butterbeer I soaked Lily as well."

My hand came to my face as I closed my eyes from second-hand embarrassment. "Oh James, what on earth went wrong?" Alexa pressed.

"I was so nervous and concerned about impressing her, that I just couldn't get the words out and in the meantime, I destroyed the room," he explained. "But in the end, after I had coughed up the frog, put out the fire, and sufficiently soaked Lily, we had a good laugh." My eyes widened in surprise.

"I was just as surprised as you are," he added. "But for some reason, it just broke the ice, and Lily started laughing and we were able to have a good talk. I told her how I felt, and that I wanted to give our relationship a real shot, and that I would work tirelessly to prove I was worthy of her affection."

Sirius made a gagging motion and Alexa shot him a dirty look, which shut him up immediately. "So, what did she say in response?" I asked the question we were all really wanting to know the answer to.

James smiled again and there was a flicker in his eye. "Well, she said she'd give old James Potter a chance." Alexa and I cheered, so happy that our two friends had finally found their way to one another.

"Well, where is Lily?" Alexa asked, suddenly realizing that if James was talking to us, he clearly wasn't with her. "And what the hell are you doing talking to us?"

"She's still here, I'm in a closet," he said plainly as if that explained everything. "I just wanted to tell you both thanks for helping. I owe you one." We gave James a smile and a nod of gratitude. "We'll see you all later." He gave us a wave and then disappeared.

Alexa clutched the mirror to her chest and fell back onto the couch in a dramatic fashion. "Ugh, I love, love!" she expressed. "Well done, James, well done. You boys need to take notes, romance isn't dead. It wouldn't kill you to still woo me." This last sentiment was directed toward Sirius as they joined us around the fire.

"Love, if I really tried to woo you, your tender heart wouldn't be able to handle it," he explained to Alexa. "I'm saving those charms for when I need to convince you of something big, like marriage."

Remus and I shared a look at the mention of marriage coming from Sirius. He never seemed like the type to give into the institution of marriage, but deep down we knew that what he desired most was a family of his own. It was interesting that Alexa was really the commitment-phobe in this relationship.

Alexa just rolled her eyes and waved him off. "What did you two get into this evening?" she asked, changing the subject quickly.

Sirius shrugged his shoulders and winked at Remus. "A little of this, a little of that," he vaguely responded. "Definitely didn't rig a bunch of fireworks to go off in the Slytherin common room at 3 o'clock in the morning. Definitely didn't do that."

I turned to Remus who had a guilty, yet satisfied look on his face. I swatted him on the back of his head and then gave him a kiss. While I couldn't condone this kind of blatant disrespect for the rules, I'm sure the Slytherins had done something recently to deserve it, so it was probably best not to alert anyone. Oh well, happy Easter Slytherins!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	24. Rule 9: A Marauder's Toolkit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re not doing this without us,” Remus whispered back, turning in our general direction. I looked at Lyla, who was opening her mouth to argue, when we heard the shuffling footsteps of Filch making his way up from the stairs. James quickly tucked the map into his pocket, and we all stiffened as we saw the top of Filch’s head, and then his body came into view.

_Rule 9: There must always be a Marauder Present during the use of the Cloak or the Map, in the event that something goes wrong and either article is confiscated. Prongs says Filch is a dirty cheat, and hopes he enjoys the fake map that was planted after the unlawful confiscation of the real one._

_Alexa's Point of View_

* * *

"I'm going to be honest with you, it seems pretty unfair that James, Lyla, and I even have to make the effort to come to class when we already know how to apparate pretty perfectly." I rolled my eyes at Sirius, pushing papers into my bag haphazardly and then pushing myself up off the couch where Sirius had found me. The advantage to having a free period the first Monday back after Easter Break was I could sleep in; the disadvantage was still somehow being late for Transfiguration.

"I'm fairly certain that McGonagall would feel the same way if you finally just quit coming; last class she called you a 'drain on an otherwise lovely morning.' Do you remember that?" Sirius smiled fondly, rolling his eyes before capping my inkwell and pushing it into my bag as I pushed my long hair out of my eyes and over my shoulder.

"She also called me a bright wizard, so I take the good with the bad." He shrugged, then pushed me towards the opening to the Common Room as I let out a groan. It was hell leaving the comfort of the warm room for the frigid castle, and I wrapped my school sweater tighter around me, wishing for once I had decided to wear my robes.

As we rounded the corner to the Transfiguration classroom, we sped up as the last few students crept into the room. Making it right as the doors started to swing closed, I caught my breath as I took my seat next to James and gave Lyla a guilty smile. My sister, student extraordinaire that she was, had probably been up since 6 AM, and looked as fresh as a daisy.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say someone has been cramming in a last minute essay that she knew she had all break but never finished." She whispered from the table in front of me. I turned my nose up, trying to look haughty, but utterly failed when I had to pull the crumpled aforementioned essay from my bag.

"I would just like to say that I had many intentions to finish it over the break, but that I spent so long slaving over the idea of helping these two," I looked over at James to my left, and then Lily to his left, pointedly. "Get together that it just totally slipped my mind."

"Be that as it may, Miss Parker, I'll be collecting those essays now." McGonagall swung past me, her black robes flowing elegantly, while she waved her wand and our essays flew up to her desk. I felt a moment of panic, but quickly let it pass; at least this year, my grades were the least of my worries.

"Nice," Lily whispered to me, smiling cheekily as she leaned back in her seat, her free hand reaching over to discreetly hold James' hand under the table. I smirked to myself, and then turned my attention back to McGonagall who was starting on her next lecture about the pros and cons of apparition in the Wizarding community.

I looked down at the notes I was meant to be taking, and then over to Lyla who was scribbling furiously on her own paper, and decided that it was probably okay if I didn't listen to this particular lecture. I was doodling a rather fetching cat portrait at the top of my parchment, when I felt my bag vibrate against my ankle. Pursing my lips in confusion, I reached down to rummage in my bag, finding a particular piece of paper that I kept with me at all times.

A lilac purple started to fly across the page, and I looked up at my sister in disbelief. The minx was gossiping rather than taking notes! I hastily looked down and then up again at McGonagall, but she seemed completely unconcerned by me. Making sure that Sirius was occupied in front of me and beside Lyla, as he was prone to reading over my shoulder, I looked down at the handwriting in front of me and started to read.

_So, I was just thinking that everything is starting to get back to normal, and James and Lily are together, and you and Sirius are at an impasse with the Order, and Remus and I are doing great. But what I'm realizing is that Blair and Lily haven't gotten over this whole thing with James and I really need everything to be totally peachy so I can get back in the grove of things. Also, are you taking notes because I'm fairly certain that Remus' isn't totally on point with his notes (as much as I love him), and Sirius is unreliable at best? –Lyla_

I bit my lip to keep the giggles in at Lyla's stream of consciousness message, and then looked around the room again to make sure no one would notice me writing notes and the letters appearing on the paper in front of me when I wasn't writing. Lily looked at me with a concerned face, and I smiled before I turned back to the paper.

_First off, wow, I'm glad that you assumed my studious streak was still happening. You're back at it, so I've resigned my post as _Alexa Parker, Smart Sister_. You're welcome. Second off, I agree with you. I know that things feel a little tedious with Blair and Lily on the outs, but I'm not 100% on how to get things back in order when I'm not 100% on why they're mad at each other. I mean, I know that Lily is mad at Blair for sleeping with James, but I thought them getting together would be enough to remove that._

_P.S. I don't think that I'll ever rely on Sirius for notes; even when he tutored me, he used Remus'. –Alex_

Rubbing the green feathered quill that I favored under my nose, I pretended to be paying attention when McGonagall looked up sharply, and stared straight at me. My faux studious face must have worked, because she turned on to her next victim and I was safe again.

_Nice, Alex, you really looked like a model student there. I think that maybe arranging a moment where they can have a chatsie would be the best thing. A little locking them in a room together until they come to their senses comes to mind. Hide your paper quick! –L_

I covertly rearranged my paper to the one that I was doodling on earlier as McGonagall started to hand out the essays that we had turned in before break. She passed me my own, then looked down at my blank parchment and half-finished cat. "While your essays were adequate, I expect you all to keep up the O level work as N.E.W.T.S bear down upon us."

I took my E essay and shoved it in my bag with all my papers as the bell rang to signal the end of class. "All those that would like to be a part of Miss Evans' tutoring group, please remain for a few moments so that we might discuss where the session will take place."

Sirius and James looked proudly at each other, before standing and waiting for Lyla to join them at the door to the classroom. "We'll talk more at lunch." She whispered to me as she walked to join them.

As Lily walked to the front of the class, Blair came to wait next to me from her seat with her Slytherin partner. Things had been a little tense in that partnership after the last Quidditch match and fiasco, and she looked a little harried. "I truly want to know what I'm going to do to make myself a better apparitionist." Blair sighed as she pulled her ponytail over her shoulder and started to pick at her split ends.

"Not sure that's a word, Bear." I said as I watched Lily and McGonagall discuss the best way to teach us to fling our bodies through tubes in space. My attention flickered over to Snape, who was furiously scribbling in what looked to be our Potion's textbook. I tried to refrain from rolling my eyes at him. Weirdo.

"I think that we'll meet in the open Transfiguration room on the fourth floor tonight after dinner, and we'll reassess how much practice is needed after the session." Lily said, looking around at the group of about 10 of us. "Professor McGonagall has informed me that the apparition sanctions around the castle will be lifted for that room, but should we try to apparate anywhere else, we won't be able to get very far without a legitimate disaster happening. Does that work for everyone?"

There were a chorus of murmured yesses, and then we all broke for lunch. As I walked awkwardly between Lily and Blair, who wouldn't speak to each other, and made even more awkward conversation with myself, I decided that Lyla was right, and that we would certainly need to take drastic measures to get them on speaking terms before the week was up. Lyla would say that we had all of term, but I couldn't fathom the idea of apparition practice tonight with them acting like this, so we would need to work fast.

I rounded the corner, the Great Hall in sight and my freedom was so close I could almost taste it, when I noticed my least favorite pal, Theodore Knott lingering in the doorway. My blood felt frozen in my veins, and I grasped my bag closer to me, wishing there was a way to discreetly draw my wand without him knowing. Blair and Lily seemed to notice my tenseness, looking around and quickly finding the source.

"Is he still bothering you, Alex?" Blair asked, whispering just loud enough for us to hear. It seemed like everyone left milling around was waiting for something to happen.

I didn't get a chance to respond before Knott was pushing off the wall and walking towards us. "Oi, Parker, heard from your parents lately?" He asked, eyebrow raised and a smirk playing on his lips. I stopped short in my mission towards the Great Hall, swinging around quickly to face him again, bag clanging off my hip painfully.

"What did you just say?" My voice trembled, and I cleared my throat to stop it unsuccessfully. Knott laughed openly, seemingly unconcerned by the attention he was drawing. I took a step forward, ready to knock the stupid smirk off his face but thought better of it, turning instead and walking away. "Let's just go." I told my friends, trying to reach my sanctuary before he could lash out at me again. He'd been playing this game ever since I had stopped him from tearing Sirius apart on the Quidditch field. Popping up in odd places; stalking me when I was alone in the library; and it was starting to wreak havoc on my mental health.

"I'll just tell them hello for you the next time I see them, shall I?" He called out after me. His laughter echoed in my ears as I hastened my steps, trying to ignore him as I saw Lyla and Sirius look up at me in concern from their spot at the Gryffindor table.

"It's fine," I said, sitting down and smoothing my uniform skirt out. I reached for the sandwiches at the middle of the table, placing one on my plate while I poured myself a glass of juice. Sirius' eyes didn't falter from the doorway, watching as Knott and a few other cronies sauntered in looking very proud of themselves.

I felt Sirius begin to move, but clamped down on his arm before he could get any further. "He doesn't get to harass you, Alex." His voice was stern, but quiet, and I nodded my head, prodding him further down onto the bench until I was sure he wasn't going to jump up and attack Knott.

"I know; but let's just leave it for now. If it gets to the point where I can't handle it myself, I'll let you know, okay? Remember that little talk we had about letting me take care of myself sometimes?" Sirius sighed in defeat, but I could still feel the tenseness of his hand in my own. "I promise I'm okay. He's just a bully; and if dealing with Bree last year taught me anything it's that he'll get his comeuppance."

"I'm not dressing up like a girl again," James said from across the table before throwing a roll at Sirius, knocking him in the cheek. His face lightened considerably, and I smiled over at James in thanks for the help.

"I think you made a rather fetching girl, Prongs." Remus said through a smirk, and Lyla leaned her head up against in shoulder rolling her eyes.

"Sorry, what's going on?" Lily asked, confusion falling over her face and reminding me again of how much of our lives in school had taken place without Lily. I looked at Lyla, trying to gauge whether or not this was a story to get into at lunch, but was saved by Sirius instead.

"Marauder's secret, Evans. We'll fill you in when you're older." Lily rolled her emerald eyes before reaching over to flick Sirius in the nose, causing him to put his hands up in defense, taking his soup bowl and pretending to stand up with it. "If this physical violence from the Potter-Evans contingency is to continue I'll just be going."

"Oh sit down, ya big baby." Remus said, laughing as Sirius still pretended to pout.

Leaning over, I placed a quick kiss on his nose, then his lips, and returned to my sandwich. "If you're finished with the theatrics, dear." I said, and he smiled lazily at me, reaching down to squeeze my leg before happily continuing on with his meal. I smiled for a few moments more, then let the grin drop when I was sure everyone was focused on things other than me. I resolved myself to not let Knott bother me, but I also knew that I wouldn't be okay until I'd heard back from my parents.

I retained a sigh, instead focusing on my friends, and the rest of the afternoon, which I knew would leave some to be desired with Defense taking up my day, and a tutoring session occupying my night.

* * *

"Alexa, I really need you to focus and try to get from at least one side of the room to the other without splinching yourself. Again." Lily's exasperated voice said from the front of the room, and I looked down at my left thumb, swearing that it hadn't been reattached correctly after I had ended up on the side of the room without it. I rubbed my left hand, trying to shake off the feeling of my last failed apparition attempt.

"I don't know why she's being so uptight when this is all about getting Slytherin information," Blair said from beside me. She had mastered popping in and out of the space one time, and declared herself done.

"I still think that I don't technically need to apparate anywhere if I've been doing it without a license." Remus said, his face slightly green after watching me leave without my thumb.

I silently agreed with all of their opinions, but with Lily's hawk-like gaze on me, I tried to focus my mind on the exact spot that I wanted to go. Breathing deeply, I made the correct motion with my wand, clenching my fists and hoping to Merlin all my body parts came with me this time. After a sickening twist in my stomach, I opened my eyes to find myself in front of Lily with a smile on her face.

"Please tell me there isn't a piece of me missing this time?" I said, too afraid to look around, although I didn't feel the searing pain that I had last time, so I figured I was fairly okay.

"I don't mean this in a mean way, but you actually did it correctly that time." Lily said, her voice slightly disbelieving.

"Guess I should have probably acted more studiously these last six years so people wouldn't be so surprised when I actually do things right." I rolled my eyes, focusing again before popping myself up behind Remus. "I think I'm done for the night. Let's get this espionage on the road."

"I couldn't agree more. What we need to do is get Lily to give Snape some private lessons, and you two to stop giving me that look." Remus ignored the wiggling eyebrows we were giving him, walking over to Lily, and offering to help the Hufflepuff she was currently helping. She nodded, then snuck a look over to us, where we not-so-subtly looked at Snape, who was working on his own.

Blair and I tracked her moves with our eyes, keeping our fingers crossed as she spoke to him. Snape pushed his hand through his dark ebony hair, his look shrewd as he took in whatever it was Lily was saying.

"Let's get closer," Blair said, and we slowly meandered around the room, trying to avoid getting hit by any of the flying bodies of our fellow students. We made sure to position ourselves behind Snape so he couldn't see us, turned our back to them, and pretended to be interested in each other instead of the conversation happening behind us.

"What do you want, Evans? You know I don't need any help with this stuff, and you made it clear that you never wanted to speak with me again, so what is it exactly you want?" Lily looked taken aback, and Blair and I shared a look of disbelief at his nasty tone.

"I just wanted to talk, Severus. I didn't realize your animosity towards me was somehow my problem." She pushed a hand into her hair, making to stand up from her seat. "You're the one that sided with them, and called me names. Not the other way around, you know?"

As she moved out of her seat, I figured this would be the end of our progress in finding out what was happening with the Slytherins and their growing hatred of our group of friends. Snape surprised us all by reaching out and placing his hand on Lily's arm to stop her. She paused, looking first at his hand on her arm, and then to his face.

"Lily," He said, his voice calming some, and I thought this was it, our chance to find out was within our grasp. His hand, however, tightened on her arm, a pink tint taking over where he put pressure on her skin. "Is it true you're dating Potter?"

Pulling her arm away from him, Lily rubbed at the spot on her skin, where bruises were already starting to form. "So what if I am?" She asked, defiance in her voice as she squared off against Snape.

"After everything he did to you? After what he did to us?" Snape stood, making like he was going to go around the table. Lily took a step back, her hand going to where her wand was resting lightly in her pocket.

"He didn't do anything to us, Severus. That was all you; and unlike you, James has changed. I wish you would too." She turned around and walked off, and Blair and I watched quietly from our spot while he muttered something under his breath, turning to gather his things back into their bag.

"Eavesdropping again, Parker?" He said, looking between us, his black eyes narrowed viciously. "I would have thought better of the both of you; but then what can you expect from a Mudblood and a half-blood traitor?"

"Back off, Snape." Blair said, jumping off the desk she had been leaning up against. "And get the hell out of my sight." She pulled her wand out, pointing it at him while the rest of the classroom of students looked over at the scuffle.

"You wouldn't want to do anything to compromise your friends, would you?" Snape said, and he glanced from us to Remus, a sinking feeling happening in my stomach when I thought about Remus' secrets being exposed. I ground my teeth together, trying to stay calm when all I wanted to do was punch his stupid teeth in. "No, I didn't think so. You Gryffindors are so predictable."

He stalked away from us, his bag clanking against his legs as he walked, that stupid potions book tucked between his hands like always. As he passed Lily, he paused slightly, opening his mouth to say something, but not getting the chance as the door flew open and James stood in the doorway, silver mirror in his hands, Sirius and Lyla on his tail. I looked around, realizing that Blair was holding the mate, and had been helping James keep an eye on things from afar.

Snape scoffed, knocking into James with his shoulder as he passed him, and Lily sighed, calling for the end of the tutoring session as the disruption had thrown everyone into a fit of whispering.

"That was an epic failure," Lily said, falling onto couch when we made it back to the Common Room. I couldn't help but agree with her, taking the spot on the far end of the couch while the rest of our friends filed in.

"Well, what are we going to do now? None of the other Slytherins are going to tell us jack, and it's not like we can just ask them what they're planning anyway." Remus said, sighing as he placed his head in Lyla's lap and kicked his feet up on the arm of the loveseat they were occupying.

I looked over at my sister, wondering if she was having the same genius idea that I was. "Alexa, you know that's not going to work." Sirius cut me off, and I looked across the coffee table at him. He was curled up in the armchair directly next to the fire, and I tried not to blush at how attractive the shadows made him.

"It'll work fine." I said back to him, crossing my hands over my chest, turning my attention back to Lyla, who was giving me the same look I knew was on my face. "James, I need the cloak."

"And the map," Lyla said, ignoring the way that Remus was looking up at her.

"Absolutely not," James said, looking between us like we were crazy. I stood up again, knowing that if we wanted to get to the bottom of this, we'd have to be quick, especially considering if Snape and the others were going to be talking about us, and their nefarious plans, it would be happening after we'd just had a confrontation with one of them.

"It will work. And for it to work, we'll need to be fast." I said, motioning to James to hand over the items I knew he and the rest of the Marauder's would have on their person.

"It won't work. We need to think this through first." Remus said, but Lyla rolled her eyes, pushing him up so she could stand.

"It will. Because Alexa and I are stealth, and you'd all do well to remember that." Lyla and I shared a look, coaxing the boys into giving up the map and the cloak.

"I'm confused as to what's going on?" Lily piped up from her corner of the couch while Lyla and I pushed our feet back into our shoes, and shed our robes for easier maneuvering under the cloak. It had been awhile since the two of us had tried to go under together, although I didn't think we'd grown any since we spied on Blair and her string of dates.

"My lovely but insane girlfriend, and her equally lovely but just as insane sister think they're going to somehow get into the Slytherin Common Room to spy on our terrible classmates. Which is a horrible idea, because anytime they say they're going to be stealth, it ends in a terrible accident where they're decidedly not stealth." Sirius said, sitting at attention in his seat, tension coming off him in waves. I felt myself tense, not wanting to fight with him about this again.

"Case in point, when Alex thought she could spy on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team without getting caught, but did. Or when they were meant to steal a potion from Slughorn, and spilt various amounts of potions on Alex in the process." Remus continued, holding onto Lyla's hand like he could stop her.

"Those both happened to Al, though. I'll be there to keep things from getting out of hand this time." Lyla said in a soothing tone that still left no room for arguing.

"I say we trust them. We can stay close by in case something happens." Blair said, coming to our defense. I smiled at my best friend, giving everyone else a 'ha ha in your face' look.

"Thank you, Blair. But we're going to need both the map and the cloak, so you're going to have to somehow blend into the walls or something." I said, rolling my eyes and Remus and Lyla argued on their way up the stairs to retrieve both items. "I guess you could always disillusion yourselves, but I'm not actually sure how well that would work if one of the teachers were to walk by."

"It won't matter because you're not going." Sirius said, standing from his seat and pulling me away from the rest of the group. Lucky for us, the rest of the Common Room was relatively empty, and weren't about to have to watch Sirius get his ass kicked by his girlfriend.

"If we keep having this conversation without you listening to what I'm saying, you're going to end up in the Hospital Wing, Sirius." I threatened, trying to keep my voice steady as I crossed my arms over my chest. Sirius put his hands on my shoulders, holding me in place.

"I _am_ listening to you, Alex. I just don't think you're thinking this all the way through. What happens if you get into the Slytherin Common Rooms and something happens? Or you can't get back and you get caught? Or," He moved to keep going, but I held a finger up to his lips, effectively quieting him for the moment.

"None of that stuff will happen because Lyla and I will be there together and we'll have each other's backs. I know you want to keep me safe, but I'm technically an adult. I can handle these things; and if I can't, then you all will be right outside to symbolically catch me if I fall. It's not like I'm going into this half-cocked." I removed my hand from his mouth, moving it instead to rest on his cheek. "But we have to do this now. Or else we're going to miss our chance; and I for one, would really like to know what's going to happen to us before it happens."

"Assuming anything is going to happen at all." Remus said, his voice tense as he and Lyla joined us back downstairs. I saw that she was holding both the map and the cloak, so I tried to calm my beating heart as excitement and apprehension filled my stomach.

"Well, that's what we're going to find out. Now, James and/or Lily, we're going to need the password to the Slytherin Common Rooms, and before you say anything, if you don't give them to us we'll find another way to get in there." Lyla said, looking at the Head Boy and Girl. Both looked wary of the situation, but I could tell that James' curiosity was going to win out.

"James, give it up. I know you want to know what's going on just as much as we do. And just think of how prepared we could be if we do find out." I appealed to James, knowing that when push came to shove, he would be on our side; after all, it was important to him to protect his friends, otherwise, what was he doing in Gryffindor?

"Fine, but we're going to be right behind you all the way." He said, standing from his spot, and holding out his hand to Lily. She stood as well, and they looked to Peter and Blair, the last two left in our group.

"You know I'm in for this." Blair said, smoothing out her skirt as she stood. "Peter, you in or what?"

"Maybe someone should stay here just in case things go wrong?" Peter said, the timid-ness in his voice making him sound squeaky. I turned my gaze away, meeting Lyla's in time to see her roll her eyes, but Sirius came to Peter's rescue before she could tell him to man up.

"That's actually a pretty solid idea, Pete. You stay here with the mirror and if we have any issues then we'll be able to fill you in on an escape plan." Sirius turned to the rest of the group, leaving the smallest Marauder to breathe out a sigh of relief. "I guess we're doing this then."

"I don't think you all are thinking this all the way through." Lily spoke up, looking at the six of us with a mix of apprehension and irritation. "Do you really think that this is the best idea? We don't even know if anything is truly happening."

"Listen, Lily, if you're going to be a part of this group," Lyla started, but I shook my head at her, pulling Lily aside to break what was sure to be a tension filled conversation between an antsy Lyla and a confused Lily.

"Lils, we have to do this. Earlier today Knott threatened my parents. Told me that he knew all about how they told us not to come home for break, and that he had no issues hurting them to mess with me. Maybe not in as many words as that, but it was implied. You were standing there when it happened. I have to do this. I have to keep my family safe, and if that means taking on a slightly half-cocked plan to break into the Slytherin common rooms, then so be it. But I have to do it. And I don't really care if you're okay with it, but I know that your brains and your skills can help us pull this off." I took a break from my monologue to join the rest of the group. "So are you in, or are you out?"

Lily looked around at the group surrounding her, then looked James directly in the eye. "I'm in." It was basically like she'd declared that she loved him the look on his face was so ecstatic.

"Okay, then let's do this. Lyla and Alexa, under the cloak. Give us the map until we get there, and then we'll slip it back to you after we get to the dungeons." Remus held out his hand for the map, which Lyla relented, before Sirius and James helped us under the cloak. As the heavy material draped over us, I heard Lily's gasp as we disappeared.

"No wonder you four have gotten away with so much," She whispered to the Marauders as we slipped out of the Common Room into the corridor. "The plan is that we pretend to be escorting Remus and Sirius back from detention if we get caught. Blair was studying late in the library and we ran into her."

"I'm so glad you're on board for this," James muttered, as we kept walking. There were no true run ins with anyone until we got to the Entrance Hall, where I saw Sirius' ears twitch as he screeched to a halt.

"Cat." Was all he said, and before the rest of us had a chance to respond, Mrs. Norris had waltzed around the corner from the dungeons, standing directly in our path. If it was possible, she smirked before letting out the most ear-splitting yowl I'd ever heard. Sirius all but hissed at her as she flicked her tail back and forth.

"Give us the map, James." I whispered from under the cloak, knowing that if Filch wasn't far behind, then there'd be no way to hand the map off and get to the dungeons without him hovering around us.

"You're not doing this without us," Remus whispered back, turning in our general direction. I looked at Lyla, who was opening her mouth to argue, when we heard the shuffling footsteps of Filch making his way up from the stairs. James quickly tucked the map into his pocket, and we all stiffened as we saw the top of Filch's head, and then his body came into view.

"What's this, sweets? Seems to be those bad boys again out of bed past curfew." Lyla and I looked at each other under the cloak, backing up so no one would step on us when they turned around.

"We keep going," I whispered to Lyla, and she nodded her head, motioning for us to walk around the scene as Mrs. Norris stalked up to the group with her master and started to hiss at Sirius. I could tell that he was itching to hiss back, which made me even more curious as to what his animagus was if he hated this poor cat so much.

Although we knew they were going to be upset, we didn't wait for the rest of our friends to notice we were gone as we took off towards the dungeons. Lily was explaining what they were doing out so late to a very suspicious Filch, as we slipped down the stairs and completely away from the conversation. Once we were far enough away, we paused in the dim light of the corridor, gathering our bearings.

"It's way colder here than it is during the day." Lyla muttered, taking a look around the dungeons and determining the way to the Slytherin common rooms.

"Creepier too," I whispered back, checking to see if anyone was around. "I think it's this way." I pointed down to the left, where a faint glow from a light could be seen.

"I'm guessing they like to keep it dark down here, like their souls." Lyla tried to break the tension, and I laughed a little, hoping it would warm me up some. As we grew closer to the end of the hallway, the light grew a little stronger, but not by much. "It's a hidden door somewhere around here. We should be at the point where we're almost under the Great Lake."

Taking a minute to look around the hall, we came up with a whole lot of nothing as to where the door would appear. "Should we just say the password and hope for the best?" I tried to move a little under the cloak, but since it wasn't really made to fit two people, each time I did it tugged away, leaving some part of our bodies exposed. "We don't really have a lot of room to maneuver here."

An exasperated sigh left Lyla's lips. "Plus, we can't be too loud otherwise they'll hear us, and know that something is up." We turned towards each other, trying to make out each other's faces in the dark.

"I don't think waiting around here for someone to happen by is that good of an idea either?" I tried to use my brain for something other than looking around blankly but couldn't get past how creepy it was starting to feel in the dungeons. "Maybe if we say it softly, but together, it will be loud enough to work?"

Before I could check to see if Lyla agreed with that plan, I heard her voice loud and clear in the corridor. "_Imperium_." I jumped, startled as she spoke forcefully, before I focused on the walls in front of us, trying to make out a door or a passageway. Instead, we both took a step back as a large hole started to appear in the floor, stairs leading downwards taking shape.

"I am kind of rethinking this idea." I told my sister, but she shook her head, grabbing my hand as we started towards the stairs.

"This is probably not our best plan ever, but we've got to make it work." Lyla spoke, putting her arm out to the side to feel the wall as we walked. We stopped short as lanterns began to light themselves, giving us the ability to see as we descended into the eerily green-lit Slytherin Common Room. As soon as people came into view, we paused again, realizing that there was no secondary door, and that we were there already.

"The damn door is broken again, Lucius." A shiver went down my spine at the voice that belonged to Theodore Knott spoke extremely close to where we were standing. Lyla and I quickly stepped off the stairway, hoping that our shoes were silent enough on the stone floor to not cause suspicion. It seemed that we had moved just in time, as Lucius Malfoy strode towards the place we had just been, and surely would have run us over had we not moved.

"Leave it, Ted. It's just the castle again." He waved a hand at the stairs as they started to disappear from view, and I whipped my head around towards Lyla as our only means of escape faded away.

Lyla's face mirrored my own, but there was no other choice; we had to carry on. She pointed towards the group that was congregated around a large carving of Salazar Slytherin in the stone wall, and I nodded, taking a breath and helping her stealthily maneuver the cloak and ourselves that way. As we arrived, I took in the scene, watching as Knott joined Goyle and Crabbe by the fire, Snape and Lestrange focusing on a game of exploding snap.

Malfoy joined the group, taking a seat in the last armchair, and as he sat, it was like he had called all the attention to himself without even speaking. As if it had been summoned, a House Elf popped into view, it's sad eyes and drooping ears making it seem smaller than usual. It held a tray up to the shockingly blonde-haired man, who reached out and took the glass of blood red liquid before shoving the elf with his foot. It skittered away from him, disappearing as quickly as it had appeared.

Lyla and I shared a disgusted look as the boy drank from his glass, all eyes on him. "Severus said they were spying on him again tonight." His words were quiet but exactly what we were hoping to hear. It wasn't very often you wanted to hear gossip about yourself, but this was one of those times where we were hoping to hear nothing but.

"Those damn Gryffindor's don't know what they're in for if they continue to stick their noses where they don't belong." Knott said, to the approval of Goyle and Crabbe, who nodded their head and grunted. I felt myself frown; what had we ever done to them?

"Tell us what they think they know, Severus." Lucius spoke again, taking his time in speaking while looking directly at Snape.

Snape brushed his jet-black hair from his face, his complexion coloring slightly in the attention. "Potter and Black think that we're planning some evil way to get them back for the Quidditch match, they believe us all to be working towards an 'evil end.'" He paused, rolling his eyes, and I wanted to deck him for talking about James and Sirius like they were stupid. "Ted has Parker suitably unnerved, though it may be pushing a bit too far if you keep bringing up her parents. She may be a step above a squib with magic, but her sister is a bit smarter."

"They'll both end up gone if I have anything to do with it." Knott said, his smugness making me feel cold. I curled my hands into fists to stop them from shaking, wishing I could hex the boys in front of me to the end of the castle and back.

"Patience, Ted. You'll get your way when what's been promised to us comes to fruition." Lucius dropped the empty goblet he was holding, the same House Elf snatching it up before it could hit the floor, and then slinking away as Malfoy turned his gaze towards it. He moved his eyes away, but not before shooting the poor thing a look of contempt.

"What of the mudbloods?" Crabbe asked, his dark, beady eyes looking around at the scene in front of him. I felt a shiver go down my back, thinking of Lily and Blair.

"Evans is mine." Snape said with vehemence. The rest of the group looked at him, and I tried not to gasp at the look on his face. It was so fierce, and it, above anything else, scared me.

"Still on this, are we, Sev?" Lucius rolled his eyes, turning away from the angered Slytherin and looking into the fire. "I believe we'll see what can be done about Winchester first before moving on to the rest."

I looked back at Lyla, deciding it was time to get the hell out of dodge. We started to make our way back towards where the stairs had been, when the edge of the cloak caught the sharp end of a table and fluttered off the two of us. Lyla made a noise of despair as it tugged her hair tightly before revealing us to the Common Room.

The noise drew the attention of the Common Room's occupants, and almost as if it was happening to someone other than us, I felt my heart stop as they turned their calculating stares towards us. No one said anything for a moment, and it was so silent you could hear the fire crackling merrily along in the hearth. Then, Lucius Malfoy's lips turned upwards, and I knew we were screwed.

"Well, well, well. Don't know when to leave well enough alone, do you?" He said, standing from his seat as Lyla and I backed away from him. We were soon cornered, with Lucius and his cronies surrounding us. I wished for all the world that we hadn't come down here without back up, but I knew that Lyla and I were capable of handling ourselves, so I drew my wand, and held my spot by Lyla's side.

"You all are sick, did you know that?" Lyla asked, raising a perfectly groomed eyebrow and keeping her cool. Her hand shook slightly as she gripped her own wand, and she squeezed it tight, her knuckles turning white. "Whatever you think you're going to be able to do, you'll never get to it. If you didn't notice, you're in Hogwarts, surrounded by people who are just as strong as you, and who don't agree with a word of the propaganda you're spouting."

"Oh, don't you worry, Parker; we'll make it look like a magical accident." Lestrange said, advancing on my sister, who whipped her wand up to his face, pointing directly between his eyes.

"It's Lupin now," She said, her voice strong, and I felt pride well inside me at how badass she was. I caught Knott's eyes, as he leered at me, dragging his eyes down my body. I felt anger bubble inside me, turning instead to look at Malfoy who looked content to just watch the show.

"We're leaving. So, if you'd kindly move before we're forced to go through you," I said, making to walk away, but being stopped as Goyle stepped in front of me. I looked at the much larger boy, and decided that if I had to, I could use magic to force him out of our way.

"Go ahead, little Gryffindor. We outnumber you, and we know things that would make your hair curl," Lucius looked me up and down, a look of disgust clear in his eyes, "Well, more than the usual disaster anyway."

"Fuck you." I spat, grabbing Lyla's arm with my free hand, my body tensing and preparing to run, cloak and all other decency be damned, when the wall started to shift from across the room, revealing a corridor and our very jovial Potions master. Snape pulled Lestrange from Lyla, turning his friends from us and towards the disturbance.

Very noticeably, they tried to relax their postures, playing the good little Slytherins that they decidedly were not. Slughorn seemed completely oblivious to the disturbance, and I lunged for the cloak while everyone was distracted. I pushed it completely under my school sweater, making it bulge out but hoping no one noticed too much. Lyla put away her wand, and we shared a look, trying to figure out how we were going to get out of here.

"Ah, boys, shouldn't you be in bed?" Slughorn asked, rubbing his belly and smiling at the troublemakers. I prayed he wouldn't see us, but it seemed as if no one was on our side as his eyes drifted towards Lyla and me. He glanced at my belly, and then quickly looked away, deciding to ignore it, thank Merlin. I didn't want to try to explain that I wasn't suddenly fat; or, for the second time in so many years, have a rumor that I was pregnant. "Miss Parker? Mrs. Lupin? What's the meaning of this?"

"Professor, we can explain." Lyla started, and I glanced quickly at the Slytherin posse, making sure they kept their mouth shut. When Lyla didn't go on, weighing her options in her head, Slughorn's eyes widened, and he came to a conclusion all on his own. He walked towards us, pulling us aside and pulling down on a candelabra, revealing the stairs that would lead us out of the dungeon.

I breathed a sigh of relief, not looking back as we were lead out of the room. Once we hit the dungeons, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. We were enveloped into darkness, which was preferable after the green lighting of the Slytherin Common Room, before Slughorn lit his wand and turned towards us.

Very seriously, he looked at us before grinning slyly. "Now, Miss Parker, I understand that you must have a crush on one of my esteemed students, and that you wish to see them secretly what with the distance between each house, but sneaking into the Slytherin common room after dark is not the proper way to be doing this."

I looked over at Lyla, trying to process what he was saying, but it wasn't happening. "I'm sorry, but what? Professor, I think you've gotten it wrong here," I started, but Lyla elbowed me slightly in my bulging sweater. I shut up immediately, trying to spin this story in my mind to get out of the dungeons quicker. "I mean, you're right. I have been in love for awhile, and I thought this the best way to express that love."

My stomach was rolling at the thought, but I plastered a serene, love-sick smile on my face for Sluggy's benefit. He smiled secretly. "I understand, my dear, being a young lover can be hard. And your dear sister helping you find true happiness is truly refreshing, but I must still give you a detention for being out past curfew. Although, no one else has to know?"

Lyla and I looked at each other, then nodded at the same time towards Slughorn. "Thank you, sir. Alexa would never be able to live with the consequences should this get out." I nodded solemnly, and luckily, Slughorn loved Lyla enough to go along with it.

"Ah, young love." He paused, looking off into the distance, before he looked back at us. "Now, off to bed. And quickly, I would think."

We agreed, and bid him good night, before taking off down the corridor, waiting until he was out of sight to pause and catch our bearings. "Well, that didn't go nearly as well as I had hoped." I said, pulling the cloak out from under my sweater and unfurling it.

"Remus is going to shit his pants when he finds out." Lyla said, ducking under the cloak and helping me cover us completely.

"What's the bet that Sirius doesn't talk to me for at least a week." I sighed, drifting with my thoughts as we walked. "It's going to get really bad with the Slytherins, isn't it?" I asked rhetorically, but Lyla nodded towards me anyway.

"I have a feeling that the bastards are just going to ramp it up from here. But we've got each other, Alex, and we'll be fine." I bumped her with my shoulder, and we paused outside of the Common Room door, lifting the cloak off and standing in front of the Fat Lady.

"Anyway we can get in without being seen?" I tried a smile, but it came out as more of a grimace.

"Our track record with that tonight probably speaks for itself." Lyla said dryly, and I sighed again, giving the password to the sleeping fat lady, who grumbled but opened up anyway. The empty Common Room was not what I expected to see when we walked through, but it was a figurative ghost town in there. "Maybe there in ours?"

We walked towards the secret door to Lyla and Remus' quarters, finally finding our friends, who did not look as happy to see us as we looked to see them. "Listen, we're fine." I started, but was cut off by James, who stepped towards us, cheeks red and eyes blazing.

"Are you all fucking serious?" He fumed, and I bit my tongue, knowing now was not the time to carry on with that joke.

"James, listen," Lyla started, placing her hand on his arm to calm him down. He shrugged her off, shaking his head no, before starting in on us again.

"I went along with your plan because I thought we needed to know what was going to happen. But only because we were going to be there for back up. Do you know how nerve-wracking it was to watch the two of you on the map and not be able to know what was happening? To know that you were caught and there was nothing we could do to stop it? Or the fact that you walked away from us and didn't even let us know you were there until we got back and you weren't here too? I'm so angry at the two of you," He reached out, snatching the cloak from my unsuspecting hands, and I felt my heart jump into my throat. "I can't talk to you right now."

With that he walked out, Lily following while giving us a disappointed look. I clenched my fists together, turning my attention to Sirius, who wasn't looking at me. He walked past me, going towards the Common Room, and I followed behind him, leaving Lyla and Remus to sort themselves out. Blair and Peter passed us by, and Blair squeezed my shoulder in encouragement, heading towards the dorms where I would find her later. I felt my heart clench, knowing that I'd eventually have to tell her what was said in the dungeons, but I brushed it away to focus on Sirius, who was standing by the fire, anger radiating off of him in waves.

"Sirius," I started, reaching towards his hand. He let me grasp it, but didn't return the gesture as his hands stayed loose around mine. "We had to do it. It was important for us to know. And you would have absolutely done the same if you were in my situation." I couldn't help but bring it up, hoping that if I could at least get him to talk to me, we could work things out. I wasn't used to him ignoring me; not even when Bree was Laura and we were fighting constantly.

"I need a beat, Alex." His voice wavered slightly as he said it, and I felt like I was going to be sick.

"Last time you needed a beat we broke up, Sirius." I tried, holding his hand tighter in my own. He looked down at our hands, sadness and anger etched into his gaze. I used one of my hands to touch his jaw, turning him to look at me. "I know I fucked up. I take full responsibility for that."

"I could have lost you tonight. If Slughorn hadn't come in, what would you have done? I could tell from the map that they knew you were there; what would you have done, Alex?" His voice was icy, shaken, and I moved my hand from his jaw to the collar of his shirt, where I gripped it tighter and leaned into him, my head resting on his chest. He waited a moment, and then his arms wrapped tight around me, pulling me into him.

"I don't know. We would have fought our way out of it, if we'd had to. But that didn't happen. We're here and we're okay, and I really, really need you to understand that I know I messed up, and I'm sorry we left without telling you all and that we got caught, but that I'm not sorry I did it." I looked up at him, and he finally met my gaze, his hands splayed on my back, heat seeping through my sweater where he touched me. "We had to know what they were saying about us, what their plans are; and now we do. And I know that you would have done the same in my position."

"Damnit, Alexa." He took a deep breath, then leaned down, touching our foreheads together. His eyes closed, and I took the moment to etch his face into my memory. "I would have done the same, but you have no idea how scared I was for you, and for Lyla. I don't want to lose you, and it feels like I came really close to it tonight."

"You won't lose me; I promise." He leaned down further, bringing our lips to meet, and I sunk into him, letting him pull me closer as we kissed. He maneuvered us backwards, bringing us to drop onto one of the many couches, and I fell onto him, our kiss broken as I laughed slightly, and bent forward to lay a kiss on the exposed part of his neck. "I love you, Sirius."

"Love you," He said back, pulling me over him so we were lying together facing each other on the couch. I snuggled into him, letting his warmth and his comforting smell pull me into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

"If I were going to ignore someone, would it be easier to ignore them if we weren't friends with all the same friends? What do you think, Lyla?" I sat myself down on the bench of the Gryffindor table at breakfast four days after the 'incident.' James continued to ignore me from his seat between Lyla and I, taking his time with a bite of bacon and eggs. I leaned forward slightly so that I could see my sister, who rolled her eyes and then snatched the plate James had been eating from.

"You can have this back when you accept our apology and get back to normal." She used what we all called her 'mom' voice, raising her eyebrow at the Head Boy as he let out a long-suffering sigh, his jaw clenching slightly. I steeled myself for a classic James Potter talking to, but he said nothing, instead pushing himself up from his seat and looking at Sirius who was across from him.

"See you in Potions then?" He started to walk away, and Lyla and I shared a look, before she sat his plate back down where he had been sitting. I blew my stray hair off my face, tucking the rest of it behind my ears as I looked around the table.

"He'll come around," Lily said, before she downed her pumpkin juice, moving to follow her upset boytoy down to the dungeons for Potions.

"Well, if he doesn't then I'm going to have to pull out the big guns. I will send a letter to his mum so fast he won't know what hit him." I said, pulling the bowl of muffins closer so I could find the last of the chocolate chip snacks. "Really, it's been four days. How can he still be mad at us? You two aren't." I gestured to Remus and Sirius, the former putting his Daily Prophet down slightly to give me his own pointed look.

"We didn't really have a choice, Alex, seeing as I'm married to your sister and Sirius has somehow continued to find himself attached at the hip to you." I stuck my tongue out at my brother-in-law, before turning to my boyfriend with an expectant look on his face.

"Don't look at me. You know I'm still not particularly happy about it; especially with the very suspicious silence that has followed in the wake of the snakes having found you in their Common Room." Sirius directed his attention over towards the Slytherin table, and Lyla and I very covertly turned to look over our shoulders. Our would-be torturers were nowhere to be found.

"Maybe they're laying low so Sluggy doesn't try and set me up with any of them again," I shuddered, recalling my last conversation with the Potions master. "Speaking of which, we should probably head that way. I want to try and get James to talk to us one more time before class starts. He can't rightly give us a detention for annoying him with a teacher around."

Biting my muffin between my teeth, I scooped up my bag and pushed an apple into it for later, before I swung off the bench, waiting for my friends. Blair, who had been sitting a few people down having a breakfast 'date' with a sixth year, broke away from her sure-to-be riveting conversation (she looked bored out of her mind) to join us on our way out.

"Still no luck?" She asked, and Lyla shook her head, linking hands with Remus, who was still trying to read an article and walk down the corridor at the same time.

"Put that away before you hurt yourself, love." Lyla said with a smile, before turning to address Blair on her side. "He's still giving us the 'you're not actually here' treatment, but things might get a little tragic if it doesn't let up soon."

"There's only so much this new sassy Lyla can take," Sirius teased, and she flipped him the bird without even turning around. He grinned at the back of her head, wrapping an arm around my shoulder as we walked. "Truly though, I have faith that he'll have to forgive you soon. I mean, if he doesn't, then that's what I'll ask for, for my birthday."

I looked up at the dark haired soon-to-be 18 year old, and smiled. He had been not-so-subtly hinting around the fact that he was turning 18 on Sunday, and with only this day and the next standing in between that time, I was hoping that James would come around; otherwise we were going to be stuck planning a party while not being able to talk to the Guest of Honor's best mate.

As we made our way into the classroom, I checked to see where James and Lily were sitting, hoping that I'd be able to convince Lily to move so I could continue to wear down James' defenses. Needless to say I didn't do well with having my best friend mad at me. Lyla and I were about to choose our own seats, when our names were called from behind.

"Mrs. Lupin, Ms. Parker, the Headmaster would like to speak to you in his office. He told me to tell you he's quite a big fan of sugar quills today." Slughorn was looking very grim as he told us this, looking at us with a combination of worry and pity, and I felt dread pool in my stomach. If Dumbledore had somehow found out that we had snuck into the Slytherin Common Room we were going to be in some deep trouble.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath, looking at Lyla who gathered her things back up in her arms. Sirius made to stand up from his seat next to Remus, but we waved them off, knowing that we had to take responsibility for our actions this time. Slughorn moved from the door as we passed, reaching out to squeeze our shoulders in sympathy. I started to get a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach, but nodded to him anyway. As we got back to the Entrance Hall and made for the stairs, I let my anxiety get the best of me.

"What the hell do you think he wants? Surely you don't think we're going to be kicked out right? I mean, we've been in trouble a little more than usual this year, but nothing compared to Remus and Sirius. I mean they're in detention almost twice a week." I looked to Lyla who seemed just as nervous as I was.

"I mean, this time we kind of broke a major rule and pretty much accused the seventh year Slytherin Class of being involved with a megalomaniac. So really it's anyone's guess at this point." Lyla started to pick at her chipping fingernail polish, holding herself still otherwise as we waited for our staircase to reach the landing.

"Okay. It'll be fine. We just need to deny; deny till you die, right?" I felt myself start to sweat slightly, under the robe I had chose to wear since it had still been cold despite the fact that it was late March.

"Right. We'll just talk only when he asks a question. Don't give anything up unless it's absolutely necessary." We came to a stop in front of the gargoyle that stood watch in front of the stairs that would leave us to the Headmaster's office.

"Sugar quills," I finally said, steeling myself for the walk up the stairs. As they appeared, we could hear talking, rather loudly, from the room above. "Does that sound like dad?" I turned to Lyla, asking as I heard a familiar voice that seemed to be very upset. "Surely to Merlin they didn't owl our parents about this."

Dread filled Lyla's face as she listened closer. "Oh my god, we're going to be expelled." Her voice dropped to a whisper, and we looked back down the stairs to the entrance of the hallway, but the gargoyle had already jumped back into places. "What should we do?"

I looked up at what seemed to now be an endless loop of stairs, but that could have had to do with the fact that my vision had gone blurry at the thought that we were about to get our asses handed to us. "I guess there's no way out of this one. We have to face the proverbial music, as it were."

Lyla nodded, taking a deep breath before marching up the stairs in front of me. I followed behind her at a much slower, less determined pace. As we neared the door at the top, we could see that it was slightly ajar, figures moving and casting shadows on the wall outside of the door. We stopped, trying to listen in on the conversation happening just inside.

"There's no excuse for this, Albus. It was too dangerous for him to go alone!" That was definitely my dad's voice, shouting at my Headmaster. I could picture the anger on my father's face, knowing well the color red he would be turning.

"Gary, calm down." My mother's voice was gentle, trying to calm my father, and I thought for sure that if we were being expelled, she wouldn't have been so collected about all this.

"It's my brother; I will be upset if I want to be!" My dad roared, and Lyla and I shared a look, hurrying the rest of the way up the stairs to the door. Everyone inside seemed to quiet down as Lyla knocked loudly and peeked her head inside.

"Dad?" She questioned, and I pushed her lightly in the back, making her enter the room so I could see what was going on. I looked around the room, confused when my eyes lit on my cousin Monica, who was sitting next to my mother on a cushioned loveseat, her eyes rimmed red and her fingers clutching my mother's sleeve.

"What's going on?" I asked, moving further into the room and walking over to my dad, who looked strung out and upset.

"Ah, girls, if the two of you wouldn't mind taking a seat, we are waiting on a few more before we begin." Dumbledore looked calm, only a slight frown line visible on his forehead. He gestured to some chairs and Lyla promptly sat down in one, her mind going a mile a minute from what I could tell. I glanced at my dad, before I took the seat next to my sister. It was quiet except for the occasional murmur from the portraits, and a sniffle from Monica.

I caught Lyla's eye, nodding to my father who was pacing the floor in front of Dumbledore's desk. No one spoke, until there was movement on the stairs, and Professor McGonagall and Flitwick walked into the room. McGonagall looked at all of us, nodding tersely to my dad, before she walked to stand behind Dumbledore's desk. She gave something to the phoenix perched on it's stoop, and the bird flew off, directly into the fireplace which flashed green briefly.

I felt my mouth drop, but before I could say anything, Dumbledore stood, motioning towards the fireplace for the rest of us. "If you would all please follow me. The other's should be gathered shortly."

"What in the hell is going on?" I asked Lyla in my most quiet whisper as we followed the others through the fireplace that had suddenly become a very large door.

"I have a feeling we're about to find out. There's Gideon Prewitt." I looked over to the fire-engine redhead in question, feeling a small smile come to my face, though it quickly vanished when all he gave me was a sad nod. Marlene McKinnon was sitting next to him, looking just as upset.

As I looked around at more of the people gathered, I realized that they were all members of the Order. That feeling of dread in my stomach was starting to become more real. Out of the crowd, my cousin Tristan came to stand next to us, wrapping an arm around Lyla and I and bring us into a hug. I squeezed him back, trying to figure out what was happening.

More people filled the room, and Lyla and I moved to stand by my parents, forming a small support group behind Monica, who was looking more and more worried as the group filed in. I looked around me, stunned to see Mr. and Mrs. Potter standing near Dumbledore, speaking in hushed tones. Before I could open my mouth to question everything once again, Professor McGonagall stood from her seat and approached the middle of the room.

"As you all may well have figured out, two days ago, in what seems like a preplanned attack, Scott Parker went missing from the reconnaissance mission he was sent on for the Order." She paused, looking around the room, studiously seeming to avoid the corner of the room where we were standing. "This is the first time something like this has happened within in the Order, and we are all on high-alert," She continued to speak, but the sobbing from next to me shook my concentration on her words.

I felt my face pale as I looked at Monica, who had fallen into my father and started to cry. I tried to comprehend what McGonagall had just said. My uncle was in the Order. My uncle was in the Order and had gone missing. My uncle was in the Order and had gone missing two days after Lyla and I had broken into the Slytherin Common Rooms and been threatened by the majority of the seventh year boys. A weight in the pit of my stomach made me feel lightheaded, and I looked around for any reprieve.

Lyla was there, standing next to me, all the blood having rushed from her face, and she reached out, taking my hand in her own and squeezing it tightly. I tried to breathe, in through my nose and out through my mouth, the beginnings of a very real panic attack barreling straight towards me.

"What we do know is that we aren't sure of who could be in danger here. If someone found out that Scott was a part of something bigger, they could very well know that other's here are involved. Be vigilant, and watch out for each other. Alastor, if you could please." Dumbledore waved kindly towards a man standing in the back. who looked like he'd seen his fair share of dangerous activity.

Then he met my eyes, nodding to my family, and signalling that we were to follow him back down the corridor to his office. As we entered the spacious room, I lurched for the seat in the corner, throwing myself down and closing my eyes before I passed out. Trying to calm my breathing, I felt a cool hand on my face, instinctively knowing it was my mother before I even opened my eyes.

"It's okay, love." She whispered into my hair, planting a kiss on the top of my head, and moving to once again stand with my dad. I opened my eyes to see most of the adult Parker family standing in the room. Lyla was sitting next to me, and I knew that we would have to fess up soon.

"I know that this will be a trying time for your family, but it is important that we stick together. I know that it will be hard, but you must trust that the Order will be able to handle this. That means that I must ask that you not get involved with this; when matters of family are involved, it is hard to be discreet and level-headed," Dumbledore was looking at my father as he said this, but it felt like the words were directed towards Lyla and I. I bit my lip, trying not to blurt everything we knew out at once. "With that being said, I will give you all a few moments alone, but first, if I could talk to Alexa and Lyla privately."

I bit down on my tongue, trying to keep myself from whimpering, and followed Lyla and Dumbledore through another door that I had never noticed before into what appeared to be a private Owlery for Dumbledore alone. The phoenix from before was perched calmly on a small post, a large nest around him. The Headmaster brushed the birds feathers softly, before he turned his bright blue gaze to Lyla and I.

"There are very few things that go unnoticed in this castle, girls. And when a student from a different house enters a Common Room that is not their own, I am very well informed, especially when Horace is as involved in his students' love lives as he is." He turned around, again going back to fiddling with something we couldn't see, giving us a moment to compose ourselves while he continued to talk. "Now, is there something either of you would like to tell me?"

"We're sorry, Professor. We broke the rules; and it's not an excuse, but in our defense, we were highly suspicious of what was taking place in the Slytherin dorms." Lyla stopped, trying to figure out where to go next, but I stepped in, ready to spill it all out on the figurative table.

"Theodore Knott has been threatening me for some time now. It really kicked off after the Quidditch match, but it had been subtle even before that. And he told me the other morning to watch my back, and that my family could be very easily gotten to. We broke the rules because I wanted to know what they were planning." I took a deep breath, meeting Dumbledore's eye. "And it seems like we only made it worse."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	25. Rule 18: Marauder's Grudge Match

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexa and I parted ways as I hustled to meet Remus in Ancient Runes and she went to needle at James’s stubborn silence with the help of Blair. I slid into my seat next to Remus just as class was beginning, a little too out of breath for my liking. Remus leaned in as I pulled my book and parchment out to take notes. “So were you sufficiently reprimanded by Dumbledore?” he questioned.

_Rule 18: Holding a grudge is perfectly acceptable when wronged, for as long as the wronged party feels they need to make a point; however, grudges can be put on hold indefinitely for certain Marauder 'Extreme Cases,' to be named at later dates as it fits the wronged party._

_Lyla's Point of View_

* * *

Alexa squared herself to face Dumbledore as I struggled to find the words to explain our actions. "Theodore Knott has been threatening me for some time now. It really kicked off after the Quidditch match, but it had been subtle even before that. And he told me the other morning to watch my back, and that my family could be very easily gotten to. We broke the rules because I wanted to know what they were planning." Alexa breathed deeply, meeting Dumbledore's eye. "And it seems like we only made it worse."

That familiar mischievous glint that Dumbledore usually had in his eyes was gone. Instead, he looked back at us sternly, anger permeating his normally cool face. "While I appreciate the difficult position you found yourselves in with Mr. Knott, the troubles we face go beyond long-held rivalries between houses," he explained, his tone suggesting that we didn't understand the gravity of the situation.

"Respectfully, Headmaster, I don't think you fully understand what these Slytherins are capable of," I countered, starting to feel dark emotions bubble inside me. "They have threatened Alexa and I on several occasions, and they have threatened our family; which clearly wasn't an empty threat." Alexa nodded in staunch agreement.

Dumbledore, however, clearly didn't share our view on the matter. He sighed and shook his head slightly. "We are living in strange times, indeed, my dear girls, but it would be unwise of us to focus on the schoolboy antics of a small group of students, when there are more pressing matters before us," he told us, in a rather patronizing tone.

I could see my father waiting by the door with my mother, fear and pain all over his face. It could have easily been my father that had gone missing, or Alexa for that matter. None of us were safe. The protections we once thought we had were gone. Our parents couldn't protect us, our youth couldn't save us, and even Dumbledore couldn't guard us. Voldemort was growing in power and followers, and we were all vulnerable.

I turned back to Dumbledore, fueled by frustration. Alexa could sense that I was about to say something risky and she shook her head slightly, so small that only I noticed it. "Sir, I can't believe that you would be so naive to think that Voldemort wouldn't use students to infiltrate this school. You, yourself, have called upon students to fight with the Order; to assume he isn't doing the same is foolish and puts all of us in danger!"

It was as if the words were spilling out of my mouth before I could really think through what I was saying. Alexa's wide eyes moved between Dumbledore and myself, while Dumbledore drew away slightly, standing straighter and stiffer. "Mrs. Lupin, there is a lot that you have done, as of late, that the staff and myself have turned a blind eye to given the tremendous loss you suffered. But I caution you that that time is coming to an end. Now, your family has been through a tremendous ordeal this evening, and I know that you are reacting to that.

"However, hear this, and take my words to heart. Under no circumstances are you two, or any of your companions, to take matters into your own hands. This is not a time for reckless actions." Alexa went to argue, but he held up a definitive hand. "We will discuss this no further. You two are to report back to class without further incident, and bare in mind that any deviation from what I've just told you will result in severe consequences."

Dumbledore left us without another word and he disappeared into a room at the back of his office with McGonagall and several of the other Order members. We joined our family briefly, exchanging hugs, trying to comfort our father as much as possible, to little success. You could tell that he was still troubled, but he placed a kiss on mine and Alexa's foreheads.

"Is there anything we can do?" I asked our dad, wishing I could do anything to ease his worry. There were few things worse than seeing your parents in pain I began to realize from this whole situation. I looked into the pained eyes of the man who had healed every skinned knee with a kiss and mended every broken heart as crushes came and went when we were younger.

Our dad had always seemed invincible. He always knew how to handle any situation, and there wasn't a problem that he couldn't solve. Now, here he was, looking lost and desperate. I grabbed Alexa's hand in mine as I thought about how I would feel if Alexa was the one that had gone missing. "Dad, what was Scott doing for the Order?" Alexa asked in a whisper, stepping closer to our parents.

He put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "You girls don't need to worry about that," he assured us. "The entire Order is out looking for Scott, we're going to find him." There was no conviction behind his words, but his eyes tried to instill confidence in us.

I pulled my father into my arms and held him tightly. "I love you, Dad," I whispered to him. He pulled back, gave me a weak smile and then brushed my cheek with his thumb. Walking past me, he gave Alexa a hug and then went to follow after Dumbledore. Our mother was the only one who remained in the office with us, and she looked more worried than usual. "Is he going to be okay?"

Our mother wrung her hands together and she shook her head. "You know your father," she responded, "He's just processing it all." Processing or not, Scott was still missing, and I wasn't convinced Dad would survive it if they didn't find Scott. "We are living in a changing world now, and we're all still figuring out what that means." She was right, we didn't know what this new world was going to be like, and that was scary as hell. "Just promise me you two will stay out of trouble and stay safe. You're only here for a little while longer, enjoy the protections of this place while you still can."

We gave our mother a hug and waved as the door closed behind us. As Alexa and I made our way down the stairs that led to the Headmaster's office, Alexa let out a frustrated sigh. "I know Dumbledore is just trying to protect all of us, but he was being rather patronizing if you ask me," she vented. "How can he expect us to just sit idly by and do nothing?!"

"I respect Dumbledore, I do, but he is dead wrong about this," I spoke. "There was one thing he was right about, though." Alexa raised an eyebrow in question. "This isn't the time for reckless actions. We have to start being very careful and need to think things out a little more." Alexa just shrugged her shoulders and conceded that he was right. "We can't just sit on our hands and do nothing, especially when our family and friends are being targeted. So we'll just have to be subversive about our fighting, and definitely avoid getting caught."

Alexa nodded her head in agreement and then her hand went to her stomach as it let out a hungry protest. "I'm so ready to fight the good fight, but do you think we can get some food first? We missed lunch and I do my best fighting and planning when I have a full stomach." I threw my arm around my dear sister and we headed straight for the kitchens to try and persuade the kitchen elves to give us some sustenance before heading back to class.

Merlin was smiling down upon us as we settled on a couple of stools that surrounded one of the countertops in the kitchens. Several of the kitchen elves set multiple plates before us, piled high with various morsels. I bit into the savory pie and couldn't help but grab a second one before I had even finished the first.

"I'm afraid Sirius is going to lose his shit when we tell him what happened to Scott," Alexa mentioned as she, too, filled her plate. "He's still not super keen on us being in the Order, and our mishap in the Slytherin common room didn't help matters, but this might put him over the edge."

I nodded my head in agreement with Alexa's musings. "I won't lie, this thing with Scott has really made this all a bit more real," I confessed. "We are putting ourselves in real danger, but that's exactly why we can't give up. If we have to face dangers and evil in order to protect others from it, then so be it. Sirius, Remus and James will eventually see that; they know what's at stake."

Alexa let out a sigh as something popped into her mind. After seeing my quizzical look, she took one last bite and pushed her plate away. "I just realized that I have to go to Herbology with James and Blair. James is still so mad at us, and he refuses to say a single word to me," she answered my silent question.

"Oh I know," I empathized. "Yesterday, I talked for twenty minutes about how the Chudley Cannons were highly overrated and that they would surely lose to the Ballycastle Bats in their match next week. Not even a freaking sound of protest."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Wow. That's intense," she responded. "I know he can't be mad at us forever, but this is longer than usual, and I hate when he gives us the silent treatment. It's so unsettling." It was a rare gift, but the only thing more exhausting than James's constant babbling was James's silence. The boy seriously knew how to hold a grudge.

Alexa and I parted ways as I hustled to meet Remus in Ancient Runes and she went to needle at James's stubborn silence with the help of Blair. I slid into my seat next to Remus just as class was beginning, a little too out of breath for my liking. Remus leaned in as I pulled my book and parchment out to take notes. "So were you sufficiently reprimanded by Dumbledore?" he questioned.

I quickly looked around to make sure no one could be listening and leaned in even closer to respond to Remus. "That, and more," I told him. "Uncle Scott is missing." Remus's eyes widened. "He was apparently on some mission for the Order, and now, no one's heard from him. It's like he vanished out of thin air."

"Holy shit, Lyla," Remus breathed out, his hand instinctively going to the small of my back in comfort. "Did you tell Dumbledore about what the Slytherins said to you and Alexa in their common room?" I nodded my head in confirmation. "And what did he say? Surely that's not just a coincidence."

"Dumbledore just told us not to worry and to stay out of trouble," I told him. "We were given explicit orders to not cause any trouble and to drop the issue. The Order is pursuing the situation with Scott, and that's all we need to know, according to Dumbledore."

Remus let out a humph. "That's total bollocks," Remus argued. "Dumbledore is not that dense. I can't believe that he would just dismiss something as blatant as what Knott and the Slytherins pulled with you and Alex." I shrugged my shoulders in response. I had thought the same thing as Remus, but it would seem that we were both wrong about the man we had come to trust implicitly. "We just have to hope that Dumbledore knows what he's doing."

It seemed so simple to say, but putting that into practice was going to be more difficult. Dumbledore may not have thought the Slytherins were a threat, but something deep in my gut knew that they were up to something more nefarious than schoolboy antics. And if that helped us find Scott, well, Dumbledore's orders be damned.

The next morning should have been a relaxing Saturday morning. Remus and I would sleep in, he'd make u

* * *

s a pot of tea to be shared in bed while I read the _Daily Prophet_ and Remus read his most recent book, and then we would finally make our way down to the Great Hall for a late brunch. At least that's what I imagined Saturday mornings would be like in a world immune to the quidditch neuroses of James Potter.

"Jaaaames," Alexa whined from her spot on one of the couches in the common room. "It is five o'clock in the morning. Only five hours past the start of a new day. Why in Merlin's name are we all awake?"

James completely ignored Alexa as he stuffed his quidditch gear into his bag. Alexa narrowed her tired eyes at the speckled boy before her and then flung her hand to hit Sirius in the chest. Sirius's eyes flew open and lifted his head off his own bag that he had been using as a pillow. She motioned to James, demanding that Sirius make right his friend's transgression. "James, mate, will you please enlighten everyone to the inner workings of your mind?"

Without missing a beat, James straightened up and addressed Sirius. "Thank you for asking that, my dear Padfoot," James responded. "The Quidditch Cup will be upon us in no time, and I refuse to let Gryffindor fall to the footnotes of history. This is my last year on this team, and as captain, the responsibility to see us through to the finals falls solely on my shoulders. So, we are going to practice harder than ever and that starts today."

I leaned over to Remus whose head was being held up by his hand and was breathing slowly. "Why were we woken up for this?" I questioned quietly. "You're not even on the team anymore. I'm so very tired."

I was rambling as Remus patted my thigh. "I know, my love," he responded. "All James said as he unceremoniously stripped our comforter away this morning was something about solidarity." I met Remus's eyes with an incredulous look. He put his hands up in surrender.

Pulling myself up off the couch, sleep still deeply rooted in all of my muscles, I clapped my hands together. "Well, seeing as I don't play quidditch and certain people here continue to be unreasonable and unforgiving even though I've apologized a number of times, I bid you all farewell. Have a good practice, James, and good luck Sirius."

Sirius gave me a grateful nod and a salute, while James fiddled with the strap of his bag. Biting back my urge to chastise the boy for being so stubborn, I turned toward the door that led out of the common room to the rest of the castle. Since I was up, I figured I might as well get some food to placate my now rumbling stomach.

Before making it more than a few steps out into the corridor, Blair, Lily and Alexa were running up behind me. "Lyls, wait up," Alexa sounded. They caught up to me with ease and we all fell into familiar step. "Well, thank goodness we got out of there. Lils, I know you're smitten with James at the moment, but he's insane."

Lily waved her off. "Oh, please," she started, "I don't condone any of his behavior today. I told him that quidditch would still be there later in the morning, to which he responded 'play the victim and you will be the victim.'" We all screwed our faces into quizzical expressions. "Yeah, I don't know what it means either, but there was no reasoning with him."

"Just remember that you signed up for a lifetime of this nonsense," Blair stated, jokingly.

I carefully eyed Lily after Blair made her statement. Lily and James hadn't been dating long, but we could tell that they really were a wonderful pair. However, Lily had been resistant to James for years, and I wasn't quite sure how she respond to the prospect of a lifetime spent with James. Lily rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders. "Meh, it's not all bad," she responded nonchalantly.

Alexa shot a glance toward me and smiled. "Well, I'm starving, so should we head down to the Great Hall and see if they've started serving breakfast?" I posited to the group.

"Remus said he would head down and gather some provisions and then will meet us in the Room of Requirements," Alexa countered. "I thought this would be a good time to plan a little party for Sirius. I have no idea what that boy wants, so I figured we could all band together and come up with something not terrible."

The Marauders loved to throw and host parties, and rarely needed much of a reason to do it, so I was surprised that Sirius hadn't handed down some plans for how he wanted to celebrate his birthday. I wasn't in much of a party planning mood, given the early hour and the exhausting events of yesterday, but I was hoping that some food would help perk me up.

The ever-changing Room of Requirements had transformed itself into a cozy sitting room with multiple plush couches, a roaring fire, warm lighting and three teapots filled with tea and a matching set of mugs. "This room will never get old," I muttered, taking in the perfection of the room.

Alexa took up residence on one of the dark red velvet couches and stretched her legs long, resting her head on one of the pillows. "Okay, my party people," she began, "Sirius has thrown us countless of parties, and they've all been annoyingly fun, so we need to do something that will match what he's done in the past. The floor is now open for discussion." She motioned to us as we all joined her around the fire, Lily doling out the cups of tea.

Lily set the teapot down and settled into her own seat, taking in the scent of the black tea. "Alexa, no offense, but you and Sirius have been dating for quite some time now, shouldn't you know what he would want for his birthday party?" Lily pondered, trying to keep an accusatory tone from her question.

Blair laughed slightly as she sipped her tea. Alexa gazed straight up at the ceiling, not paying us any mind. "Lily, if I knew what Sirius wanted, my life would be a whole lot easier," she lamented. "That boy can be as fickle as the wind."

We all sat in silence and pondered the task before us. As I ran through ideas in my head, it became quickly apparent that I had no original thoughts. All of us, clearly coming up empty, looked at each other in desperation. Blair sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "How about the theme of the party is 'Birthday,'" she offered.

Alexa sat up slightly, her eyes narrowed at Blair. We waited for her response, but first, she pulled open the drawer of a nearby table and pulled out a quill and parchment. She began writing. "Birthday, of course. Love it. So simple," she praised Blair. Lily shook her head and gave me a resigned, exasperated look.

"And we could write out 'Happy Birthday, Sirius' in little fireworks that'll float and go off all night. That's festive," Lily offered. Alexa, again, liked what she heard, and jotted down the idea.

While I had no groundbreaking suggestions, I threw out my sad excuse of a contribution. "Don't forget a cake. It could say something about birthdays." The door opened to the Room of Requirements and in walked Remus, a floating tray of both savory and sweet breakfast morsels following behind him as he carried an identical tray.

He set the tray down on the coffee table in the middle of the arranged furniture and took a seat next to me, pulling my legs to drape across his body. "So what are you ladies cooking up over here?" he asked suspiciously.

Alexa gave him a smile and reached for a pumpkin pasty. "Just a little party planning," she answered. "And, boy do we have a good time planned. Here's what we've got so far: the theme is 'birthday,' we'll have fireworks that spell out 'Happy Birthday, Sirius,' and a cake that says 'Happy Birthday!'"

Remus looked perplexed after Alexa ticked off the items on her list. "That's it?" he questioned, a little judgement in his voice. "A cake that says 'Happy Birthday?'"

A bit put out, Alexa shifted in her seat. "I was going to put an exclamation point at the end and write it in black, his favorite color," she explained. "And didn't you hear the part about the fireworks? What's more festive than fireworks?"

"No, I heard that part," he assured her. I gave him a look, warning him to tread lightly and to be gentle. "While I think it's a good start, I'd like to contribute as well. Why don't you let me take over the planning duties?"

Alexa tapped her chin in contemplation. She piled a few pieces of bacon onto a plate and grabbed another pastry, before leaning back onto the couch. "It's all you, young Reems," she told him, relinquishing her duties. "Make us proud."

Remus grabbed for the parchment and quill and leaned forward to begin his work. His forehead wrinkled as he thoughtfully orchestrated his friend's birthday bash. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, only breaking into his thoughts for a moment to place a kiss on his neck before joining Alexa on her couch.

I stole a piece of one of the remaining pastries from Alexa's plate, with some protest from my sister. Blair was in the same spot, but now she was absentmindedly flipping through the latest issue of _Witch Weekly_, and Lily was curled up on a bench positioned in a nook with a floor to ceiling window that let the light from the breaking day stream into the large room.

Leaning in closer to Alexa and nudging her to get her attention, I nodded over to Blair. "Do you think that things are still a little weird between Lily and Blair?" I asked. "I mean, they are perfectly pleasant to one another when we're all together, but other than that they don't really talk."

Alexa shrugged her shoulders. "Well, that's pretty understandable I guess," she offered. "Love Blair to death, but she did sleep with James when she knew he and Lily were whatever they were at the time. They weren't exactly dating, but they may as well have been. I would have been so pissed if I was in Lily's shoes, and probably not so forgiving."

She made a good point. But, James carried as much of the blame as Blair did, and Lily was able to forgive James and put it behind them. Why couldn't she do the same with Blair? "I know, I know," I agreed. "I just feel like this is the final thing that needs to be put right so we can all get back to normal. James and Lily are together now, and we are all going to be in each other's lives for many years to come, for better or for worse, and I just feel like if they could just talk it out, everything would be fine."

My sister nodded and then her face twisted in thought. "You know, Blair and Lily are actually a lot alike," she mused, looking between our two friends.

I narrowed my eyes trying to follow my sister's thought. "How so?" As far as I could see, Blair and Lily couldn't be more different.

"Well, both of them can be a little anal-retentive," Alexa started. "They get that way about very different things, but the spirit is the same. They both have a flair for the dramatic at times." I went to interject, but she pushed past my attempt. "And, yes, I do recognize that that's rich coming from me. Plus, they clearly have the same taste in men." I gave her a look and she just laughed. "What? All I'm saying is that I can see why James fell for both of them, and they, him. Those girls love a project, and James Potter is just that."

Both Alexa and I watched Blair as we sat with what Alexa had just said. We must have been staring for far too long, because Blair looked up from the pages of her magazine and gave us a questioning look. Alexa and I quickly looked away and back to one another. "Then it should be easy to mend fences between them," I told her. "Surely they can find some common ground, even if we have to help them find it."

"I smell a plan, and I love it," Alexa rubbed her hands together mischievously. After pausing a moment she took in a sharp breath and wiggled excitedly in her seat. "I've got it. The main thing that Lily is still hung up on is that she's not convinced that Blair is really over James, right?" This was true, even though Blair assured us numerous times that her and James's little escapade confirmed that they were nothing more than friends. "And Blair has told us far too many times, in probably too much detail that their night together sealed the deal on them being just friends."

I smiled at how similarly Alexa and I thought at times. "Basically, Lily just needs to see Blair with another guy, and that will hopefully help convince her that Blair has fully moved on from James and they can be friends without any weirdness. And with the party tonight, I'm sure we can find B an eligible bachelor."

It admittedly wasn't a terrible idea. "It would also be good for Blair to do a little flirting," I added. Alexa gave me an approving smile. "Alright, the plan is a go." We grasped each other's forearms and exchanged a nod. Moments later, Remus threw his hands in the air, a look of victory on his face.

His celebratory exclamation drew all of our attention. "It's perfect," he announced. "This party is going to be so quintessentially Sirius, that even he couldn't have planned something more perfect."

Alexa leaned forward with wide eyes and motioned for Remus to continue, "Well, what is it?!"

* * *

The Room of Requirements was buzzing with anticipation as we awaited Sirius's arrival to his surprise party. Remus had truly thrown together the perfect party for Sirius, and we had all been rather secretive to make sure Sirius was truly surprised. Alexa had used the two-way mirror to alert me that she and Sirius were on their way, and the Marauder's Map indicated that they would be pushing into the room any moment now.

Suddenly, James folded up the map, tucked it away into his back pocket and stood before the crowd that had gathered to celebrate Sirius. "Oi!" he shouted. "Everyone pipe down and get ready. Lyla, the lights, please."

I nodded to James, smiling as he addressed me for the first time in a few days, and with a flick of my wand, the room went dark. I stood still next to Remus, able to barely make out his features as we waited in almost unbelievable silence. Taking my hand in his, Remus gave me a smile and a squeeze.

The door that hid us all away from the rest of the castle pushed open and I could hear my sister's voice as a sliver of light poured into the room. "Will you just come on," she, presumably, told Sirius.

"I'm going to wish for you to be less bossy for my birthday," Sirius chided. Even though I couldn't see my sister, I could feel the eye roll she gave Sirius in response from across the room.

When Sirius's figure finally crossed the threshold into the room, I, once again, flicked my wand revealing the waiting revelers. Right on cue, the room erupted with hearty cheers and well wishes. A small collection of fireworks exploded above Sirius (Alexa insisted on it). Sirius smiled and waved at all his friends and classmates, then pulled Alexa into a hug.

The look on Sirius's face, while bright with joy, was a little off as he took in the scene before him. He finally made his way over to the rest of us and clapped James on the back and then Remus as they exchanged greetings. When it was my turn, I pulled Sirius into a strong hug. "Happy birthday, Sirius," I wished him.

"Thanks, Lyls," he responded, looking around the room once more. "The place looks great," he commented.

I narrowed my eyes at him and cocked my head to the side. Sirius responded with a questioning look. "You totally knew about the party, didn't you?" I accused. Sirius briefly tried to deny and then resigned to nodding in affirmation. I gave him a playful shove in the shoulder.

He feigned injury and then laughed. "You know I can't lie to you, Lyla," he confessed. "You all are terrible at keeping secrets. I think you all let it slip at least once to me without even realizing it." Damn. And here we all thought we had finally pulled one over on Sirius. "But, hey, don't tell your sister," he instructed, "She's really excited for this, and I don't want to ruin that."

My heart warmed and I nodded my head. This is why I loved Sirius, and why I was glad my sister had him in her life. Even on his birthday, on the day all about him, his primary concern was making sure Alexa was happy. "You're a good man, Sirius," I told him. "And I'm so grateful that you were born all those years ago."

He threw me a wink and then went off to join our fellow revelers. Alexa bobbed over to where I was standing, a look of satisfaction on her face. "Well, dear sister, this is a great success!" she said with great pride. "Now that Sirius is happy and enjoying the festivities, it's time to address the other task at hand." She nodded over to Blair who was sipping from a cup and listening to Remus talk about something that I'm sure didn't interest her in the slightest. "We just need to get her feeling a little tipsy and just cycle through some good looking guys until one of them sticks."

I nodded my head in agreement and signalled for one of the first years who James had convinced to circulate around the party with drinks. The young boy appeared at my side with almost scary speed and offered the tray to me. "Ah, thank you, Mikey," I told him with a smile. I grabbed one cup and passed it to Alexa and then grabbed two more. "Let's get to it."

We joined Remus and Blair, who accepted her drink with relief, as Remus wrapped up his story. He then waved James and Sirius over and motioned for everyone to direct their attention toward him. "Now, for tonight's main event, we've put together a little challenge that will test your wits, your commitment, and your liver's ability to process alcohol." Sirius's eyes lit up and he had a pleased smirk on his face. "Tonight, in honor of the birth of the one and only Sirius Black, we bring to you the first annual "Tri-Whiskey Tournament."

With a flick of his wand, a banner unfurled above us displaying the name of the tournament. Sirius looked absolutely giddy, and was buzzing with anticipation. I had to hand it to Remus, this really was the perfect party for Sirius, blending his love of competition and fire whiskey.

"There will be three tasks, with each task narrowing down the field of competitors until one emerges victorious in the final task. Anyone wishing to take on this noble quest need only to put their name in the goblet." Another flick of his wand, and a glowing goblet appeared on a nearby table. Wow. Remus really went all out. Remus explained the three tasks, the final task consisting of a fire whiskey pong battle which would determine the ultimate winner.

Sirius was first in line to put his name in the goblet, and many others followed suit. Alexa and I opted to forgo the competition, though it pained us to not be able to dominate yet another Marauder test of skills, but we needed to stay sharp so we could play matchmakers for Blair.

So, as the trials commenced, Alexa and I wandered the room looking for suitable gentleman callers for our dear friend. "What about Fabian Prewett?" Alexa asked, nodding over to the tall redhead who was currently battling his brother in one of the events of the tournament.

I narrowed my eyes at the boy and watched him as he sunk a small ball in one of the cups across the table. "I mean, Fabian is sweet, and I have noticed they chat a lot at the Order meetings. But didn't Blair have a thing with Gideon earlier this year?"

Alexa thought about it for a moment and then nodded. "Good call. Definitely don't want to make this a family affair," she agreed. "I feel like I need a diagram to sort out who here Blair hasn't already been on a date with." Then there was a glint in Alexa's eyes, a look that told me she was up to no good. "Alternatively, we could all just get very drunk, and Blair can sort out her love life herself, and maybe that will help her and Lily sort out their issues."

My sober mind would have most certainly objected to this plan, but my tipsy mind was fully on board. What could go wrong? Those will forever be famous last words. I sprinted from my spot to grab four shot glasses filled to the brim with firewhiskey. I forced a glass into the hands of the three girls gathered by Alexa in my absence and held one behind lifted in the air. "May our friendships be long, our loves be true, and our troubles be few," I toasted. The four rims joined together briefly and then the amber liquid disappeared as we drank.

"Here, here," Alexa added, her voice slightly strangled as she continued to feel the burn of the alcohol. She waved one of the younger Gryffindors over, gave him our empty glasses and handed us each another. "Just keep them coming," she instructed the young boy, who nodded obediently. "My turn to toast." We all hoisted our glasses once again and waited for Alexa to collect her thoughts. "Here's to a really shitty past year that taught us lots, to sharing this moment with three of my favorite people, and to a future where we aren't fighting a snake-faced asshole."

A bit unconventional, but I'd drink to that. After several more rounds of toasts, we were all sufficiently sozzled and we had passed the point of no return. You know, that point where you don't even realize you've passed. At the protest of the rest of us, Alexa held up another glass, and we reluctantly followed suit. "One last toast, I promise," she most certainly did not promise with a wink. "Here's to Sirius, the birthday boy, the love of my life, and the greatest shag of my life!" We all made a face but happily drank the burning brown liquor. "Don't make those faces," she scolded. "We've all been around the Marauder block at one time or another, you all know what I'm talking about."

The laughter that had been rolling out of Lily was replaced by a stark silence. It took a few moments for Alexa's brain to catch up with her drunk tongue. "Oh shit," she cursed, seeing the looks on Blair and Lily's faces. "Okay, look, this is as good a time as any, but you both just need to accept the fact that you've slept with the same person, move past it and move forward as friends."

I watched the two girls closely as the issue Alexa and I had been trying to subtly diffuse, was suddenly up front and center. Lily cleared her throat and shifted where she stood. "Alexa, I am acutely aware of the fact that Blair has also slept with James, even on one occasion not too long ago," Lily spoke, with bitterness hiding behind her words.

Not being keen on passive aggression, Blair straightened up slightly and faced Lily. "I have profusely apologized for that, it was very poor judgement on my part, I'll admit. But, you can't punish me for James liking me before him being with you. Everyone has a past Lily, I just happen to be a part of James's past and his present."

"Can't you understand how hard that is for me?" Lily argued back. The two girls were nearly shouting now. Alexa and I shared a look that this was not what we had envisioned when we hatched the plan for Blair and Lily to work things out. "You two had this amazing connection, everyone could see it, and I'm just supposed to believe that after all that, you've just moved on and no longer have feelings for him?"

Blair let out an exasperated laugh. "Yes! I don't know how many times I have to say it," Blair pleaded. "He loves you, Lily! He's always loved you!" At this, Lily pulled back slightly. Alexa linked her arm with mine, and held tightly. Blair physically adjusted, which also adjusted her tone. "Even when we were together, I know James cared for me, but I believe it's always been you. You were his first love."

Lily looked unsatisfied. "But you were his first," Lily said, rather loudly. The room around us seemed to quiet slightly as the row before us carried on. "I just find it pretty difficult to move past the fact that you took his virginity, and it makes me a little sad that I wasn't his first."

The room was nearly dead silent and Lily spoke this last statement. I looked around the room as everyone looked between us and James, who was standing next to Sirius and Remus, his face flushed. Sirius patted James on the shoulder as Remus rushed over. "Um, ladies," he said timidly, "We may want to relocate this little gathering."

As the dull buzz of the crowd began to fill the room again, we all made our way for the door. After a very tense and silent walk back to Gryffindor Tower, without another word, Lily headed off up the stairs toward the seventh year girls' dormitory. Blair, planning on storming out herself, realized that she couldn't very well storm off to the same place as Lily. Letting out a groan, she took the stairs that led up to mine and Remus's dormitory. We all stood watching the two girls disappear until Sirius broke the silence. "Why is it that my birthday parties always end with two girls mad at one another?" he asked, jokingly.

James peered up the staircase that Lily had ascended and shook his head. "Well, at least your girlfriend didn't announce to nearly the whole school that your ex-girlfriend took your virginity," James countered.

"That would have been far too long to spell out with miniature fireworks," Alexa chided. "James, don't worry, they'll sort it out. They've ripped the scab off and now that wound can finally heal."

Remus wrapped his arms around me from behind and rested his chin on the top of my head. "I'm not sure you have a good grasp on the purpose of scabs in the wound healing process," Remus pointed out. Alexa stuck out her tongue and rolled her eyes. Remus cleared his throat, ready to move on. "Well, now that Sirius is officially one year older, I think presents are in order."

We all gathered around on some nearby couches, Sirius set up right in the middle. Remus produced our gift, wrapped in black paper, and handed it to me. I sat right beside Sirius and gave him the small gift and a hug. "This is from Remus and I," I told him. "Happy birthday, Sirius." He gently pulled at the paper surrounding his gift and uncovered the small leatherbound notebook with Orion's constellation emblazoned in the bottom corner. "It's a journal," I explained. "It's enchanted with similar magic to the Marauder's map. It'll only reveal the contents written inside if you speak a certain phrase."

Sirius squeezed my hand. "It's lovely, Lyla," he told me. Looking past me to Remus he gave him a nod. "Thanks, mate. Now I'll finally have a place to hide all my secret, naughty thoughts from Alexa." We all laughed as Alexa poked her fingers into Sirius's side.

"Keep that up and you won't be getting any sort of present from me," she warned.

As we all carried on, James stole away up the stairs. When he returned, he was carrying a medium sized box. He set the box down in front of Sirius and clapped his hands. "Well, Padfoot, my dear friend," he started. "When thinking what to get the boy who has everything, I knew there was only one thing that I could give to my dear old friend. Enjoy."

There was a mischievous glint in James's eyes, and an equally excited sparkle in Sirius's. He sat forward in his seat and inspected the box before him. It was almost as if Sirius was waiting for the box to move. Sirius's hand finally made contact with the flaps that were enclosing the contents. He pried them open, and bam!

To everyone's genuine surprise, the room filled with butterbeer, and within seconds began to drain. Sirius took two large gulps on the sweet liquid surrounding us and then let out a roar of laughter as the liquid finally subsided. Remus and I gasped for air as Alexa coughed uncontrollably.

"James Potter!" she shouted, once she had cleared her airway. "You could have killed us all!"

"Come now, Alexa," James placated. "None of us were ever in any danger." While the butterbeer had disappeared, the remnants of the explosion were still evident. Everything in the common room was soaked through and noticeably sticky, including ourselves.

Sirius stood from his seat and clasped forearms with James. "Hell of a prank, brother," he praised. "Couldn't have asked for a better gift."

As Alexa continued to chastise both Sirius and James for their 'irresponsible pranking,' Peter appeared in the passageway leading into the Common Room. As he walked, his shoes made a terrible noise as they stuck to the carpet. "Oh damn, did I miss it?" he asked James, a sad look on his face. James nodded, still riding the high of his prank. "Well, I don't suppose this is a good time to tell you that McGonagall is on her way?"

We all looked to each other in a panic and quickly gathered our things and headed for safety. If there is one thing I've learned over the years, it was wise to be as far away as possible from Minerva McGonagall when she happened upon a Marauder prank.

But then again, was it really a Marauder party if McGonagall didn't hunt you down the next day?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	26. Rule 5: Rules and Threatened Expulsion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “James told me he loved me.” She waited for a moment, before putting her burning red face in her hands, spreading her fingers so she could peek out and see my reaction. I felt my eyes widen, and I tried to contain the absolute squeal that was building in my throat. “I can’t stop smiling.” She whispered, the aforementioned smile evident in her voice.

_Rule 5: Once expulsion is threatened, go about mischief making in the most secretive of ways. And above all else, never stop the mischief, because who would we be without it?_

_*Addendum - McGonagall will threaten, but never go through with, the expulsions, especially if the Quidditch cup is sitting on her desk at the end of the year._

_Alexa's Point of View_

* * *

"So what are you going to tell McGonagall today in your meeting?" I stopped shoveling food onto my plate for a moment, looking over at Lyla across the table from me before I shrugged and continued.

"Honestly, I have no idea. These 'what are you going to do with your life' meetings are starting to really get on my nerves." I rolled my eyes, then started in on my toast and eggs, thinking of the upcoming meeting I had with my head of house. "It's pretty unfair that I'm having to sit through these and you aren't."

Sirius stole a piece of bacon from my plate, smirking at me as he ate it in a single bite. "We all know what we want to do after school, Alex, otherwise I'm sure we'd be right there with you." He leaned over, leaving a greasy kiss on my cheek. I pulled a face, wiping it from me with a look of disgust.

"Really?" I asked, sarcasm dripping from my words, but he only smiled and went back to happily poking at the Map with his wand, making adjustments here and there and changing a few small details. He and James had been taking advantage of the Head Boy's privilege, filling in secret passages that had all but been forgotten.

As I sat contemplating what was going to become of me in the next two and a half months after NEWTS and graduation, Remus pulled up to the table, swinging his long legs over the bench and taking his seat next to his wife. Following along, James hesitated for a moment, before taking the spot next to me and turning towards me. I felt myself steel up a bit, having gone almost three weeks without talking to one of my best friends.

"Alexa, Lyla, I'm lifting the ban of not talking to you." I whipped around to face him, feeling my jaw drop open slightly. Lyla dropped her tea cup to the table with a resounding thump.

"For any particular reason?" I squeaked out, hope filling my bones as I waited for his answer. He looked pretty chagrined, running a hand through his messy mop of hair.

"Remus told me about your Uncle Scott." He dropped his voice and leaned in slightly so we wouldn't be overheard. By now, most of the school realized that something had happened, as we'd had a suspicious amount of mail being sent to us at school, with my parents trying to keep us updated on the precarious situation. And Lyla and I had never really been as religious in our Daily Prophet scouring as we were as of late. Any news on the situation that reached the Prophet would surely be exaggerated, but it was still tickling the lump in my throat anytime I read the names of people who had recently gone missing. As of yet, my uncle's name had remained off the list. "I'm back on board with the plan of you all going to the Slytherin Common Room, and while I'm still irritated you broke your promise to us, I think it had to be done."

"Well, thanks, James. We really missed you." I leaned over, wrapping my arms around his waist and giving him a tight hug. He patted me on my back and then released me. "And we're sorry we did that. And that I didn't tell you about Scott."

"But to be fair it happened Friday morning, and then we had Sirius' birthday, and the subsequent deep-cleaning of the Common Room after your birthday gift." I shuddered at Lyla's mentioning of the sticky remainder and awful cleaning we had to do, hungover and tired, after James had filled the Common Room with Butterbeer for Sirius' birthday. If I never saw the sticky sweet drink again, I'd die happy.

"Classic," Sirius said, nodding with a happy smile on his face and he and James reached around me to clap their hands together. I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help the happy smile that came over my face in response.

"Now, if I can sort Lily and Blair out, we'll all be back to normal and ready to tackle these NEWTS. Speaking of which, what are you planning to do with your life after school, James?" I pushed my plate away, opting to hold my cup of coffee in my hand to warm me up.

"Sirius and I have already put in our application for Auror school. We'll know more after we finish exams but I've got a pretty good feeling." James smiled, then tucked into his food. I turned towards my boyfriend, slightly shocked that he had already figured out where he wanted to be in life.

"I didn't know you'd applied for the program already?" I placed my cup down, and Sirius shrugged, looking slightly proud of himself and excited at the same time.

"I've known I wanted to do whatever I can to disassociate myself with the Black name so I figured why not? Prongs was on board, and we couldn't get Remus to join in but he'll be at the Ministry anyway, so," He trailed off, looking towards Remus with a grin. Lyla rubbed Remus' arm as a look of adoration came over her face. I tried not to let the left-out feeling that was starting to bubble inside me take over. Everyone knew what they wanted to do but me.

"Huh, I guess I'll have to move back in with Mum and Dad until I figure something out." I tried to play it off as a joke as I stood up from my seat to grab my bag and make my way towards my meeting with McGonagall before our Double Transfiguration.

"You could always move in with me," Sirius said, his voice casual and cool. I looked at him a little in disbelief, my heart pounding, before rolling my eyes.

"Yeah, okay, sure." I laughed it off, assuming he was kidding, and turned towards my friends. Lyla was looking at me with a bit of shock, while Remus shook his head slightly. Ignoring them, I waved to the group. "I'm off to listen to McGonagall berate me as she tells me that I should have my whole life figured out by now. See you in a bit."

With that I turned from my friends and began to trudge from the Great Hall up a few floors to the Transfiguration classroom. I walked in, noticing that the door to McGonagall's study was closed. I started to knock when the door opened and Lily walked out. She shut the door behind her and then turned towards me. "Oh." She said, still a little irritated from my unintentional starting of the fight between she and Blair.

"Listen, Lily, I'm really sorry about Saturday night. I was drunk, and not listening to what I was saying, and I said some things I shouldn't have." I shut my mouth with a snap, trying not to ramble on with my apology. Lily's eyes were watering slightly and I felt startled at the turn of events. "Don't cry!"

She released a watery laugh, and then swiped quickly at her eyes. "It's just, what if he still loves her, Alexa? What if I always have this hang-up with Blair and James and their relationship? It's so hard to know that they were in love once and then to see them still be friends."

I put my hand on her arm, squeezing it lightly. "I get it, Lily, I really do. Every time I see some other girl around Sirius I get jealous, even if he's just partnered with them in class. It's one of those things that I think will always happen, but what you have to eventually realize is that he's not with the other girls; he's with you, and he chose you. And James has always been infatuated with you; he loved Blair but he's always been _in love _with you."

Lily didn't get a chance to respond, as McGonagall opened the door to her study and directed me with a look. "Ms. Parker, you're late." I gave Lily a look, and she laughed slightly, her back towards our professor.

"Sorry, professor." I said, walking into her classroom to sit down. I waited while McGonagall made her way around the table and back to her chair. She sat down and looked at me, pulling some parchment towards her and looking down at it.

"So, we've established from these meetings that Transfiguration is not necessarily your strong suit, but that you do have a soft spot for Charms." I felt my palms go a little sweaty as she looked down at my list of failures and achievements. "Decent in Potions and Defense, a bit lucky, perhaps, when it comes to Herbology." She put the paper down and glanced at me as I tried not to squirm under her gaze. "Any thoughts on what you might like to do with those skills?"

It was the same question she asked me the last three meetings we had. I wished once again that I knew some semblance of an idea of what I wanted to do with my life. "Professor, I'm going to be honest with you, I have literally no idea." She sighed, then pulled a large stack of pamphlets out of her drawer.

"These are various job opportunities that I have pulled for you, in a career that would involve Charms. If you're interested, please let me know. And I do caution that you not wait too long to look into these. You're a talented witch, Ms. Parker, and I would hate to see you waste that talent on a dead-end position somewhere." She handed over the pamphlets and dismissed me with a look. My stomach rolling, I thanked her and walked from the office, dreading having to spend the next two hours in Transfiguration.

I checked the clock at the front of the classroom, and seeing as I had only a few minutes to spare before the class began, I sat at my normal desk, waiting for people to file in. I kept my head down, having shoved the offending pamphlets to the bottom of my school bag, and ignoring the glares that came my way whenever the Slytherin's came into the classroom. Finally, someone tossed their bag on the table next to me, and I looked up, surprised to see Lyla rather than Sirius.

"I think you hurt your boyfriend's feelings." She started, not even letting me ask the question on the tip of my tongue. I looked back a few rows where Sirius was sitting with James, a dejected look on his face. I sent him a smile, but he turned away instead of giving me any other indication that I had looked at him.

"How? I've only seen him for a total of 20 minutes today. And that was at breakfast." I tried to imagine what I could have said to him in that short amount of time that would have upset him, but I drew a blank.

"Seriously, Alex?" I gave her a confused look, raising my eyebrows at her. She relented, sighing as she got her parchment and quills out to take notes. "I really think he was being, for lack of a better word, serious when he asked you to move in with him. It's really quite romantic if you think about it."

My heart started pounding in my throat, and I whipped around to look at Sirius, who was looking directly back at me, something unrecognizable in his eyes. When I turned to face Lyla again, she was smirking at me. "Stop. That can't be true. He was just joking around. He's always just joking around." I stopped to think about the few times he had mentioned me living with him after graduation, how he had talked briefly about what our life together would look like, and something in my mind clicked. "Holy shit, I'm the biggest idiot that's ever lived. He wants to move in with me!"

Lyla laughed, rolling her eyes as McGonagall brought the class to attention. "I mean I wouldn't say you were the biggest idiot, but," She trailed off as McGonagall started her lecture on what happens when you use a vanishing spell, but my mind was otherwise occupied.

I knew I loved Sirius, and that I couldn't imagine what life would be like if he wasn't involved in it, but the idea of moving in with him was both exciting and scary to me. What if something went wrong? We'd be sharing the same space, day in and day out. When things went poorly at school, I could just run back to my dorm, spending time alone until things cooled off or got back to normal. It hadn't hit me that adulthood was rapidly approaching, and with it things like what we'd be doing for money, and where we'd be living after graduation. I knew I didn't know what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, but I did know where I wanted to be living.

"Next time he asks, I'll be ready with my answer. I can't believe he wants to move in with me." I couldn't keep the giddiness out of my whisper as I turned to Lyla to tell her my revelation. She looked up from the parchment she was scribbling on, and beamed along with me. Finally tuning into what McGonagall was saying, I listened for the rest of her lecture, occasionally sneaking looks back towards Sirius when I thought he wouldn't be listening, and when the time finally came for class to be over, I shoved my things away, and practically skipped back towards where he was sitting.

Without giving him a moment to look up, I snagged his tie and pulled him down towards me, connecting his lips with my own and pouring everything I had into the kiss. He seemed startled for a moment, before relaxing into me. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and when we pulled back, his eyes were slightly glazed over.

"Hello," He said, grinning widely as I dropped back down off my tip-toes. He straightened and took my hand, slinging his bag over his free shoulder. We walked out of the classroom, our friends having already headed towards lunch. "You know," He started, and I tugged him along, finishing his sentence.

"I'm not really that hungry anyway. Besides, I think you left something in your dorm room that I need to help you find." He laughed the whole way back to the dorms, until I effectively shut him up by pulling his sweater over his head and connecting our lips together.

—

The library was quiet as Lyla, Lily, and I sat at a corner near a secluded bookshelf, trying to study for upcoming exams. Slughorn had given us the morning off, claiming that we needed to study and prepare our potions more than we needed to learn a new potion, and to come back the next day, feeling refreshed and ready to tackle some potions we may be asked about on our NEWTS. Everyone had shared a look, but we knew that the real reason was it was finally sunny and warm enough to go outside without needing a cloak or overcoat. Spring had finally come to Hogwarts.

I flipped morosely through my textbook, trying to summon the energy to do as much work on studying for these exams as I had when Lyla was on an academic sabbatical back in December. But I found it hard when the library was full of students, mostly seventh and fifth years, preparing for the future. I sighed as a particularly shrill noise came from a group of sixth years standing at the window, and rolled my eyes when I shared a look with Lily, knowing exactly what was going on outside. James and Sirius, upon hearing that they had three periods to do whatever they wanted, had taken it upon themselves to get a small game of Muggle football - something they had recently heard about from Lily and became immediately obsessed with - going.

We had all left them up to their devices, but not before they had decided to play shirts versus skins. I had rolled my eyes, but couldn't help the sneaky look behind me as Sirius stripped off his shirt. And I apparently wasn't the only one who had. Lily stood, walking over to the window and clearing her throat. The girls, thoroughly reprimanded Hufflepuffs, slinked out of the library, most likely headed towards the outside world to get a more up-close look. Lily sat down with a huff, then picked up her Potions book again and flipped back to her page.

"You know, Lils, you're going to have to get used to people ogling your boyfriend. I mean, he's pretty jacked for how skinny he is." I nudged Lyla who sat next to me, winking at Lily as her face turned beet red.

"I know." She said primly, and I heckled a little more as Lyla looked up from her book.

"Seen what's under that fair facade yet, Evans?" She laughed as Lily blushed as red as her hair, and I tried to unsee the slight haze of lust in her eyes. Lyla couldn't help but swat at her. "Oh my gosh! Get your head out of the gutter! You're Head Girl; meant to be studying and fantasizing instead."

"As if you've never done the same! Remus isn't anything shabby to look at either you know?" Lily shot back, dissolving into giggles.

"He's a regular wolf, aye Lyla?" I said, raising my eyebrows at my sister who rolled her eyes. She was an old married lady now, apparently immune to our teasing.

"Hush up and get back to work, or have you decided yet what you want to do with your life?" She ribbed me, winking after I sent her an aghast look. "Really though, if you're not going to study at least look at those pamphlets McGonagall left for you."

"Alright, alright, calm down, dictator." I resigned with a world weary sigh, before turning back to my textbook. The words were starting to blur, and despite the fact that I couldn't tell a Draught of Living Death from a Dreamless Sleep potion, which I knew was not a good one to mess up, I stood from my desk. "I'm going to take a turn about the room, and then I promise I'll study."

"You'll spend your free period with Sirius getting up to shenanigans when we leave, so I'm going to hold you to that," Lyla said without glancing up. I stuck my tongue out at her, before stretching my arms high above my head and moving away from the table with a yawn. As I meandered around the library, I found myself in the charms section, remembering one of the pamphlets I had received. I was flipping uninterestedly through a biography about ancient curse breakers, when I heard a noise from the stack next to the one I was in.

Thinking that maybe a little bit of gossiping wouldn't go amiss, I leaned a little closer to listen in. "What was so important we had to meet right this second?" The deep timbre of voice sounded familiar, but I couldn't place it, and I leaned closer, almost pressed to the bookshelf to hear through it.

"We haven't fully discussed the events of next weekend, and the time is getting away from us." It was a female voice, another I should have probably recognized but didn't. If I could just move a few of the books out of the way, I could see who I had inadvertently begun spying on. "If you're looking to send a message, I won't go about this half-arsed. It needs to be something well planned. If this goes bad, it's not coming back on me."

"Alex?" I spun around, my heart jumping into my throat, waving my hand towards Lyla and Lily who must have come looking for me. They gave me a confused look, coming towards me quietly and assuming the same position I was in.

"Something is up," I whispered as quiet as I could, hoping the people behind the shelf couldn't hear me. I strained my ears, hoping to hear what was being said next.

"Are we perfectly clear? It happens at Hogsmeade, and it happens quick and clean without any trace of foul play. You know who the blame is pushed towards if things get bad." The male voice again. He sounded even more exasperated and his voice was tinged with frustration and anger.

The female voice spoke again, more timidly this time. "I don't feel right using him as a scapegoat," She muttered, and then there was a thump against the shelf, as if something had been pushed against it.

"You're testing my limits, again. And again, I won't repeat myself once more.. If you're not up for this, you know the consequences of leaving our protection." There was nothing else, and I looked at Lyla and Lily, as stunned as I was, before leaping around to the end of the shelf, trying to see who was planning the nefarious deed at Hogsmeade next weekend.

No one was there.

"What the hell was that?" I asked, panic steeping my voice as I looked at my sister and friend.

"We need to tell Dumbledore pronto. We have to get that Hogsmeade trip canceled. If I know anything about what just happened, it's that all my instincts are screaming that it's something bad." Lily said, making her way back towards the table where our things were still situated. I shared a look with Lyla at the mention of Dumbledore.

"I agree with you, Lily, but we need to make it very clear that we weren't intentionally looking for trouble, and that we're not pointing the finger at any one House or person. Alex and I are on some pretty thin ice with Dumbledore after the stunt we pulled in the Slytherin Common Rooms." Lily agreed with Lyla, and started to hastily pack her things. I felt dread go through me at meeting the Headmaster again after such a short time. I was still smarting from his reprimand, but also fuming because he was being short-sighted.

"Ready?" Lyla asked the two of us, and I slung my bag over my shoulder, following behind as we left the library. Light was streaming from the windows along the corridors, and I blinked owlishly as we left the relative darkness of the library. "Straight to his office, then?"

"I can't think of anywhere else that he might be." I shrugged, starting towards the stairs that would take us down a few floors to what seemed to be his ever-changing office. If he couldn't find one place he wanted to stay, I would be happy to suggest a few for him. I bit back a sigh of discontent, and trudged along, finally coming to a stop at the Gargoyle statue.

Lyla and I turned to look at Lily, who was a fount of knowledge when it came to passwords around the castle. "I don't know Dumbledore's," She muttered, looking around for anyone who might be mingling about. "We can try a few that I've heard before?"

"Lemon Drop," I spoke clearly and with conviction but it didn't seem to do anything but irritate the gargoyle. I thought back to our run-in earlier this year with the Ravenclaw eagle and scrunched my nose in dismay.

"Brandy wine," Lyla tried. The gargoyle shifted slightly, and then settled more firmly into place. I groaned and ran a hand through my hair, trying to think of our next move.

"Listen, you stupid statue, we need to see the Headmaster. It's urgent," I emphasized the word, but it seemed my previous statement had angered the gargoyle, who looked at something behind my shoulder and then turned completely away from us. I bit back the urge to yell more as Lyla pinched my arm slightly, and Lily let out an anxious 'Professor.'

Turning to look at who may have come towards us in the midst of that little display, I bit the inside of my cheek to keep another groan in. Professor McGonagall was looking at us with suspicion written clearly on her face. There wasn't much in this school that got by our Head of House, and so to see us in front of Dumbledore's office, trying to break in, was probably a bit alarming for her; but perhaps not as alarming as us being subjected to her questions.

"Is there a reason you girls are out of class and currently accosting Reginald?" She raised one eyebrow, perfectly stopping the laughter that was bubbling in my chest at the idea that the gargoyle's name was Reginald.

"We need to speak to the Headmaster, Professor. It's urgent." Lily put her Head Girl voice on, standing up straight and tall, trying to impose the need to be heard upon our teacher.

"Yes, I heard that earlier. What is so urgent that it cannot wait until after class?" McGonagall clearly wasn't in the mood to play today.

I straightened my uniform skirt and shifted my weight onto my left foot. "Professor Slughorn gave us the period to study. Which is where we were when we came upon the pressing need to speak to Professor Dumbledore about something we overheard in the library and that is important." I adopted a pleading expression, which made McGonagall frown.

"I've spoken to Horace about that before," She muttered to herself, seemingly unconcerned with what we were trying to tell her.

"Professor, with all due respect, that's not really the issue at stake. Where is the Headmaster? And when might we be able to speak with him?" Lyla asked, bringing our errant teacher's attention back to the matter at hand.

"Albus has been called away to the Ministry to attend to different matters. I'm not sure when he'll be returning." She fixed the three of us with a look, seeming to gather some sort of insight to the problem we were facing. Or, at least, she didn't believe the three of us were lying about it. "What is it that you three said was so urgent?"

Lily looked at us, gauging our next move, before she pushed forward. "The three of us were in the library, studying, when Alexa overheard two people talking about something that was taking place at the next Hogsmeade weekend."

Her voice rushed out of her quickly, and McGonagall gave us a strange look as she processed the information. She went to speak, but was cut off by the sound of the bell ringing, signaling the end of the third class period of the day. As students began to file into the previously empty hallway, her attention waned and went to the troublemaking that was happening down the hall.

When she turned back to us, I could tell that she had dismissed what we had been talking about before she even spoke. "Now, girls, I appreciate that you are trying to look out for your fellow students, but that doesn't mean that every person that meets in the library is up to nefarious deeds. They could have just been talking about a game of quidditch, or whether to meet at Madame Puddifoots or the Broomstick."

My mouth dropped open in disbelief and I looked to Lyla and Lily who were just as shocked. "No, Professor, I don't think you understand," I started, reaching out for her to halt her forward movement against the crowd.

The look she shot me stopped me in my tracks. "Ms. Parker, do not think just because you were unpunished by me that you are not on a very steep precipice with your actions lately. I strictly recall Professor Dumbledore reminding you to not go looking for trouble. And you shall not. Is that perfectly clear?"

I nodded my head, and she gave us a very grim smile, before sweeping off to attend to a couple of third years that were shooting wayward hexes down the hall at each other. I turned to my friends, who were looking as confused and irritated as I felt.

"That was a bust." Lyla said, shaking her head and checking the watch on her wrist. "Come on, I have to go to Runes, and you've got Herbology." I couldn't believe the morning had passed so quickly. "We'll reconvene later to discuss. Not at lunch though. It'll need to be tonight when things won't be so crowded. Meet in my dorm at 8:00."

I waved goodbye, hurrying out towards the greenhouses where I would have to mediate the strange rift that had taken place between Lily and Blair, all the while in the presence of the very boy the rift was about. Taking my place, I rolled up my sleeves, frowning at the heat in the room. James was already starting to sweat, looking at me with distress.

"You all good?" I asked, leaning back to look at him funny. He nodded, twisting his neck slightly and cringing when it cracked loudly.

"Your boyfriend is way too competitive." He said, the frown on his face turning comical. I nudged him, ignoring his wince, my mood slightly restored for the rest of the afternoon.

—

"So, Alexa and I know that we're meant to be laying low and staying out of trouble," Lyla started later that night when we were all lounging around her and Remus' common rooms, trying to decide what our next move would be after dinner.

"But clearly you've spent too much time in the presence of the Marauders," Sirius cut in, reaching over to tap a high-five with James, who had given up all interest of doing something productive and was watching the map with interest before his shift with Lily. The map, for all its use for deviance, was actually pretty useful in helping James and Lily keep watch on their prefects.

I pulled lightly on Sirius's hair, reprimanding him silently from my post on the chair above his spot on the floor. "That's enough out of you." I said, and he turned around to give me a smile before going back to his portion of our joint Defense essay.

Lyla rolled her eyes, and then continued. "While that may be true, we didn't exactly go searching for it this time. We were minding our own business, studying in the library when Alexa heard a rather nefarious conversation in the stacks where she was doing some research."

Lyla motioned for me to continue, and I put down the novel I was reading and placed my feet back on the floor to sit up straighter. "There was a couple, talking about something that was going to go down at the next Hogsmeade trip. They were talking about how it had to happen then, and how they couldn't get caught, and that they were going to have a scapegoat for the situation just in case things took a turn for the worst."

"Did you hear who it was?" Remus asked, looking at Lyla and I before turning towards Lily.

She shrugged before moving from her spot next to James so that she was sitting up rather than laying down. "We didn't. And by the time we turned the corner to find out, whoever it was had vanished."

"It sounded like they had a slight altercation as well. I'm not saying that anything in particular happened, but it definitely sounded like someone fell against the bookshelves." I remembered the sound that had come from right next to my head, wondering if they had fallen or been pushed.

"Did you report it?" Sirius asked, turning in his position to reach out and hold my hand. I squeezed his fingers, but kept our fingers laced together.

"We did, or well, we tried to." Lyla ran a hand through her hair before letting out a deep breath. "Dumbledore was gone, but we ran into Professor McGonagall, who practically said we were letting our imaginations get away from us and that, as we are on thin ice, we should be watching that imagination closely."

"Where's Dumbledore?" James asked. He started rummaging around the map, shuffling pages as we watched him, and when he came to the page he was looking for, he sat that map down on the table. A very clear replica of Dumbledore's office was there with one very important thing missing - there was no headmaster to be found. "That's so strange. I haven't seen him on the map in days."

My heart leaped into my throat. "You don't think it has something to do with the Order do you?" I glanced over to Lyla who seemed to have come to the same conclusion.

"We should write Mum and Dad and see if they know anything. If it's something to do with Scott I think we should be informed." She summoned a piece of parchment from her room, and then reached for a quill that was left unused on the table. As she hurriedly began to scribble, I thought back to the more pressing matter at hand.

"Have you heard about anything that could be happening next weekend? A prank or anything of the sort?" Remus shook his head, waiting for the affirmative from Sirius and James as well.

"Nothing. We'll ask Pete when he gets back from detention, but I can't imagine that there would be a big prank happening that we wouldn't know about. If anything, Peeves would have let us know." I nodded at Remus, who looked puzzled, and then looked to James and Lily who were starting to put their things away before they headed off to do their rounds.

"Might not hurt to swing by the library while you're out on patrol. Just in case they went back to meet?" I asked my friends, who agreed before they left the room. "I really hate the idea of walking on eggshells for the rest of the year. We only have a few months left, and I don't want anything hindering our time here." I slouched back into the chair I was occupying, crossing my arms over my chest and pouting.

"Well, love, if you all had, oh, I don't know, listened to us when we told you not to go down to the Slytherin Common Rooms alone, you may not be in this situation." Sirius gave me a smirk, and I grinned when Lyla beamed him with a pillow from across the way.

"Get started on that Potions essay, Alex, we're supposed to be working on a project together," I sighed as Lyla laughed at me and then stood from her spot and stretched. "If you finish at least six inches of parchment I'll bring you a cup of tea."

Groaning, I laid my potions book over my face, trying to will myself out of homework, my mind still on what had happened in the library.

Later that night, I was lying in bed, curled onto my side as I read through the latest Witch Weekly that I had pilfered from Blair, who was sound asleep in her bed, when Lily crept back into the room. I looked up from my magazine to see the grin on her face, her smile blissed out as she shed her robe and hung it on her four poster. She hadn't realized I was awake still, and she let out a small squeal and a sigh before she flopped down onto her bed.

"Something to share with the class, Miss Evans?" I asked in a low voice, putting my magazine back on the bedside table and sitting up slightly. I tried to keep my voice down, checking Blair's bed to make sure I hadn't woken her up. Lily sat up quickly, looking over to where I was still awake.

"Alexa, you scared the shit out of me!" She clutched her heart, and then hopped off her bed, coming over to sit with me. I budged over, allowing her to quickly sneak into the bed, pulling the covers up over her and smiling at the ceiling. She let out a sigh, and then turned towards me. I rolled on my side to face her, trying to resist the pull of sleep as she smiled widely at me in the dark.

"Out with it, Lily! Don't make me wait," I told her, the excitement she was exuding getting the best of me. It was infectious, and I couldn't help but feel my heart race as I was sure hers was doing.

"James told me he loved me." She waited for a moment, before putting her burning red face in her hands, spreading her fingers so she could peek out and see my reaction. I felt my eyes widen, and I tried to contain the absolute squeal that was building in my throat. "I can't stop smiling." She whispered, the aforementioned smile evident in her voice.

"Merlin's beard, Lils. This is one of the most exciting moments of my life right now and I can't even start an absolute scene because it's," I looked over at the clock on the wall, trying to understand how it could already be 2:30 in the morning. "Super late, and people are asleep."

Lily's smile deflated slightly, as she peered over at Blair's closed curtains. "I hadn't thought about that." She said, rolling onto her back and putting her arm over her face. Her smile returned moments later, and she removed her arm to look at me. I couldn't help the cheshire cat grin that was sliding across my face.

"I didn't mean it like that, and I'm sure Blair will be okay. She is happy for you all, I swear." I felt a little pit at the bottom of my stomach when I said this, trying not to feel like I was being caught in the middle of two friends, and that choosing to be excited over this with Lily would mean I wasn't understanding of Blair's predicament. "Tell me all about it."

"Well, we were doing our rounds, and we went into the library because I wanted to have another look around. James was leaning against this little window alcove, and he'd just picked up a book to skim through it while I checked the stacks where we'd last heard anything, and I looked over and just," She sighed deeply as she remembered something I couldn't see. "I jokingly told him that I didn't realize he could read, which caught him off guard, and he started laughing, and then just said that he loves me."

I reached over and smashed her cheeks a little with my hands, crinkling her smile and making us both laugh. "And? What did you say!" I snuggled into the covers a little more, feeling giddy with how excited she was. I could remember the exact moment a year and a bit ago that Sirius told me he loved me in the middle of one of my freak-outs, and I knew just how happy she could be - and more so, as this was the boy that had secretly (and for a time not so secretly) pined for her for almost 7 years.

" I kissed him, because what else can you do in that moment, and then said it back." She looked up at the ceiling again, sinking deeply into the mattress with a sleepy grin as she then closed her eyes in thought. "And I do love him, Alexa, more than anything. I can't believe it's taken me this long to realize that."

Patting her shoulder lightly, I rolled onto my back as well, closing my eyes as we sat in relative silence for a few moments, the bed only slightly big enough for the two of us. I thought of Lily and James, and their relationship, newly budding and in the throws of new-love. I thought of Remus and Lyla, having already been through so much and having come out the other side even better than before. And then I thought of Sirius and I, the love that I tried to deny having caught me by surprise and completely changed my life.

A noise came from across the room, alerting me to the presence of Blair, most likely sleep-talking in the middle of a dream, and my heart fell some. As happy as I was for Lily and James, I hated that Blair had been left out somehow. I made up my mind at that moment that we wouldn't leave her out, no matter the circumstances.

"I'm really happy for you, Lils." I said, reaching up to take my hair and wind it into a bun before I settled into the bed for sleep. My only response was a sleepy yawn, and I closed my eyes, with a smile on my face, and a plan in my mind.

"Have you been avoiding us?" Lyla and I sat on the other side of Blair, who was lounging in the courtyard that Friday afternoon. We'd been dismissed from Slughorn's classroom, which had been humid and uncomfortable due to the fact that each group of two had been working on three separate potions since the start of term, and it was not great with that many fires going at once. I tried to shake off the drowsiness from the clouds of steam coming from our Dreamless Sleep potion, but it hadn't been until we got outside in the fresh spring air that I felt better. Blair had seemingly had the same idea, for she had seemingly vanished after class.

Blair tucked a strand of chestnut hair back behind her ears, and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know what you mean? We were literally just in class together, and I'm fairly certain I saw you this morning before breakfast as well."

Lyla and I looked at each other, and then rolled our eyes. I turned towards Blair to face her, crossing my legs in front of me as I lounged back on the grass on my elbows. Lyla followed suit, taking a short break before starting on her Runes studying. "Was that before or after you ditched us for the Ravenclaw table?" I asked, trying to be nonchalant but most-likely not pulling it off. "I didn't know you were still hanging out with Matt."

The accusation in my voice must have been stronger than I realized, and Lyla shot me a look quickly. "Not that it matters if you are, of course, we've just missed you." She cut in before Blair could get mad.

Blair sighed, putting her Herbology essay down to look at us. I gave her an encouraging smile, hoping that she'd open up to us. Lyla wasn't lying when she said we'd been missing our best friend. "I was hanging out with Emmeline Vance, from the Order?" She looked around to make sure no one had overheard and then continued. "And I wasn't hanging out with Matt. He and Emmeline are together now, so he was there as well. She's really nice, and aside from the fact that she's got a few extra things on her mind like the rest of us, there's no drama." She let the words hang in the air between the three of us, and I felt them weigh on my shoulders like a heavy hand.

"While I can completely understand that," Lyla started, trying to come up with something to say. Then she shrugged as well, laying down on the cool grass with a sigh. "You're right. We have a lot of fucking drama for such a small group of people."

The three of us laughed, and I found myself letting out the breath I had been holding as well. "I'll be the first to admit that I've caused my fair share of the drama these past few weeks, months, years," I grinned at Blair who had raised her eyebrows at me teasingly, "But truly, we do miss you. I feel like I haven't seen you in forever."

"I know." Blair bit her lip, looking deep in thought. "It's not your alls fault at all," She started, letting out a measured sigh, "But it just feels like everytime we're all together Lily and I can't seem to get along. You know that I'm over James, completely and truly. We had that one mess-up, but it was almost like we'd been together so long, that I needed to know that he wasn't it for me, and that was the only way I could think to do so. And I _know_ I shouldn't have done it behind Lily's back, especially because we knew she liked him, and I'm so, so sorry about that."

She paused, and I waited before urging her to continue. "But?"

Blair smiled, nodding in thanks as she got her ideas together. "But I don't think Lily is over it, even if James and I are. I don't know what to do to prove to her that I only want to be their friend. Nothing more." Lyla and I nodded, and it was quiet for a few moments, as we all tried to think of a solution. With a groan, Blair picked up her essay, making to stand from her spot on the grass. "I promise that we can talk about this more, but I really don't understand this Herbology question. And seeing as my usual tutor and I have been avoiding each other, I need to go talk to Sprout."

I bit my lip, thinking of how James and Blair had been working on Herbology together for as long as I'd known them both. "But you'll come back to hang out with us? Tonight? It can just be the three of us together." I said, looking towards Lyla who confirmed my thoughts with a smile.

"I promise. I'll see you in class, Alex. See you at dinner, Lyls." Blair smiled at us, starting towards one of the stone covered outdoor corridors that would take her back into the castle. I let out a frustrated noise, and fell back against the grass, letting the cool earth seep through my robe.

"This sucks." I said, looking up at the cloudless sky, trying to think of a solution to the ever complicated situations happening in my life.

"Tell me about it. I totally get where Blair is coming from though; Lily was pretty upset with Blair and James after that whole fiasco. And it would be fairly nerve-wracking to deal with that if you were Blair." Lyla said, sitting up and running her hand through the grass in thought. "Comparatively, I kind of miss the ease of last year. At least then our biggest worry was Bree."

"And you were sleeping with a Professor if you remember?" A voice said as Lyla tugged the grass from the earth and tossed it at the newcomer.

"I absolutely was _not_, Sirius Black." She said, turning towards me as I let out a loud laugh at the reminder of the ridiculous rumors that had taken over last year. "Alex, I'm going to kill your boyfriend. Any last words you'd like to express?"

"Only that I wish I had thought of the joke sooner," I spit out the grass that suddenly hit my mouth and face. "And that you are my favorite sister and I'll always take your side, of course, oh wise one."

"That really hurts, love." Sirius said as he sat next to me, leaning over to leave a kiss on my forehead.

"Where's Remus?" Lyla said, her smile lighting up as she looked for her husband. A sly smile came over Sirius' face, his gray eyes sparkling in mischief.

"Hm, a Marauder never tells, Mrs. Lupin." Sirius said, turning to give me a wink before he looked back to Lyla. "Prongs and Wormtail may have found some incredibly interesting information that Moony then had a brilliant idea to put into motion."

I gave him a suspicious look as Lyla rolled her eyes. "And why aren't you with them?" I asked, trying to wheedle out whether or not he was going to be stuck in detention for the weekend.

Sirius's face darkened slightly before he let out a woe is me sigh. "I was accosted by Slughorn as I was leaving the classroom. He's quite interested in why Reg and I no longer speak, and wanted to know if I was interested in joining the Slug Club event he's holding in a few weeks. He said it would be a quote beautiful time to meet back up with family and friends, unquote."

Lyla and I shared a slightly-horrified look. "Wait, a meeting with what family? You're parents aren't coming here, are they?" I thought about the ever-imposing Walburga Black with a grimace.

Sirius let out a barking laugh, and then shook his head. "No, he means that Cissa and Reg are joining the club, and that they'll be at the next meeting." My mind went to Sirius's younger cousin, infatuated with Lucius Malfoy and gorgeous at only 16.

"Poor girl," I muttered, and Lyla seconded my opinion. I looked at Sirius, watching the shadows cast over his eyes, before he masked them and looked at the two of us.

"But, anyhow, a drama for another day. What had you two so woefully wishing for last year?" Sirius shuddered, as if the idea of last year was excruciatingly painful for him, which I thought with a small hint of satisfaction, it should be. "Not that I didn't think our epic prank on Bree would have gone down as the best in history had we not been meant to keep it a secret so we avoided expulsion."

"Blair. She's avoiding us because of the tension between she and Lily." Lyla said. "I just don't know what to do about it. I miss my friend."

"I get that. I think they're both just avoiding each other because they're afraid the other one is going to get angry. Though I don't know why; the way I hear it, Prongs has been laying lines down at an alarming rate." Sirius laughed, then looked at me.

"Hush, Sirius, you were fairly quick at expressing your love in a poetic way if I remember it correctly." I nudged him over some with my elbow, causing him to hold up his hands in surrender. Then I turned to Lyla who was looking at us in confusion. "James told Lily he loved her."

Lyla's face lit up, smile beaming on her face. "That's fantastic! So there is literally absolutely nothing to worry about between the three of them now." She sat up fully, focussing on us and pulling out a spare piece of parchment. "Now, how do we get the band back together?"

The three of us sat in relative silence, trying to decide what would be the best plan of attack, when Sirius suddenly sat up from his spot on the grass, shaking grass out of his hair as he went. "We get Blair together with an eligible bachelor." Lyla and I gave him speculative looks, seeing as we'd already started down that route and decided it was too much of a risk. "No, hear me out, James was with Blair for a few years. If anyone knows her type, it's him. So we ask him what she's out there looking for, and then we track this man down and introduce the two of them. It's perfect."

"You're kidding me, right?" I asked, seeing all the obvious flaws in his plan, namely that if James had been her type they'd still be together.

As Sirius's grin became extra-cheeky with an overused joke, Lyla cut in. "I'm actually not that opposed to it. We could do it, subtly of course, and then once Blair is with someone, she'll feel less like a proverbial third wheel, and Lily won't be worried that she's still in love with James."

"Okay, but if we're going to do this, we have to do it right." I sighed, accepting the fate of the plan. We all knew that Blair was an independent woman who didn't need a man, but the idea of having her comfortable in the group again made having a boy-toy a half-good idea. "That means we need to hold interviews. She can't just be with some sort of schmuck."

"Leave it to me, ladies." Sirius said, starting to stand and helping the two of us up as well when the bell for the end of our free period rang. "He'll be so perfect it will be like Merlin himself plucked him from a tree just for Blair."

I rolled my eyes, setting off for the Herbology greenhouses, and trying not to think about every way this plan could go wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's the next chapter for you, lovelies, and we hope that you enjoyed! Please let us know if there are any mistakes, or things you'd like to see changed! And as always, thanks for reading and helping us continue the magic!! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined; we author’s thrive on them. And as always, we don’t own anything you recognize. That’s all Rowling’s.


	27. Rule 71: Dating Within the School of Hogwarts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The staircase had stopped moving without the girls noticing. I cleared my throat and the young ladies turned to acknowledge my presence for the first time. “Excuse me,” I said to them with a smile and a nod. They all slowly registered who I was as they stepped to the side to let me pass. Before I walked on to the landing and made my way toward the Great Hall I turned back to the girls and leaned in. “Between you and me, Sirius and James spend an unhealthy amount of time together. And I have it on good authority that they were living together over the last few holidays, but you didn’t hear that from me.”

_ Rule 71: When a Marauder decides to go out on their own into the, what was once thought to be large but is now realized to be quite small, dating pool of Hogwarts, it is up to his fellow Marauders to help him find a suitable suitor, or else we’ll be stuck to relive some of our terrible past dating decisions (Wormtail apologizes for times past when he unknowingly dated one of Padfoot’s cousins). _

_ Lyla’s Point of View _

* * *

It was my favorite time of year at Hogwarts, and the castle was buzzing with a certain special energy.. Exams were approaching, the fate of our futures were hanging in the balance, and the panic was setting in. Everyone was vibrating at a certain frequency and it was like a drug for me. As sick as it was, and everyone was all too quick to point it out to me, I lived for this pressure. 

My sister on the other hand, did not approach our exams with the same fervor. As much as Alexa tended to downplay her intelligence, she had proven to everyone during my sabbatical from my studies that she, too, had inherited the Parker brains. However, as she puts it, she used all her academic capital for the rest of the year in those few months and our impending exams should only be classified as a ‘socially acceptable form of child abuse.”

“I mean really though, what are these exams going to even tell us?” Alexa posited as Lily, Blair and I sat around a table in the library. “How can some exam determine my worth as a human or measure my potential contribution to society. We are more than an exam result. Should we all protest, they can’t fail us all, right?”

Lily shifted her eyes to the side to look at me incredulously. I stifled the laugh that bubbled up inside and lifted my book to hide my face. “Alex,” Blair started, putting her arm around my sister, “This is the first round of exams that you’ve actually prepared for, thanks to your brief stint of intense studying. You’re going to be fine.”

Alexa lamented dramatically and slumped in her seat. “I think that’s part of the problem,” she suggested. “Usually I’m prepared just enough to have a false sense of confidence. I usually don’t know what I don’t know. But now that I’ve actually read the material, the knowledge is paralyzing. I don’t know how you two do it exam after exam,” she added, nodding to Lily and I. 

I shook my head at Alexa. “You are going to be just fine,” I assured her as I gathered my books up, shoving them and the loose papers into my bag. “Now, I’m off to meet up with Remus, you all hold down the fort and study hard.” Alexa and Blair wiggled their eyebrows suggestively, while Lily tapped the books in front of them to refocus their attention. 

Remus had told me to meet him in the Great Hall, he said that he was meeting Sirius there before we all headed off for a review session. I could only hope that they planned to meet there to procure some snacks before we settled in for some studying. My attention was more successfully held when my tummy was full. 

After taking a couple steps up one of the many staircases, I felt the stone shift below my feet and the whole staircase began to shift. Even after being at Hogwarts for nearly seven years, I still hadn’t been able to see any rhyme or reason to the moving of the staircases. While I waited for the stone steps to determine their new location I noticed a small group of girls huddled together just a few steps ahead of me. From their robes I could tell they were a mix of a few Gryffindors and a few Hufflepuffs, and their baby faces and child like wonder in their eyes told me they were probably fourth years.

I couldn’t help but smile as I thought about Blair, Alexa and I at their age, and how we probably looked just like them at one point, all grouped together discussing some piece of gossip that we had heard. Then my ears perked up at the mention of an all too familiar name, and the subject of much gossip over the years. 

“And you’re sure it was Sirius Black?” the freckle-faced blonde pressed her friend with the dark, short bob.

The girl who appeared to be the source of the information nodded her head assuredly. “Totally sure,” she answered. “Annabelle said that her boyfriend’s brother’s friend told her brother that Sirius sat him down and asked him all these questions about his dating history and his likes and dislikes.”

“That’s so odd,” another girl chimed in. “I’ve heard that he and his girlfriend are in a bit of a rut and that they’re looking for something, or someone, to spice up their relationship.” They all shared a scandalized knowing look with each other.

The girl with the short hair shrugged her shoulders and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Maybe, but I also heard from someone on good authority that Sirius’ interests no longer lie with the fairer sex.” The small blonde’s eyes widened and you could tell that the brunette was very pleased with the bit of information she was able to share with her friends. 

The staircase had stopped moving without the girls noticing. I cleared my throat and the young ladies turned to acknowledge my presence for the first time. “Excuse me,” I said to them with a smile and a nod. They all slowly registered who I was as they stepped to the side to let me pass. Before I walked on to the landing and made my way toward the Great Hall I turned back to the girls and leaned in. “Between you and me, Sirius and James spend an unhealthy amount of time together. And I have it on good authority that they were living together over the last few holidays, but you didn’t hear that from me.” They all nodded their heads fervently and had looks on their faces of disbelief. 

I laughed to myself as I left them in total shock, feeling only a little bad about feeding the ridiculous rumor. After spending a significant amount of time with the Marauders and being the subject of the Hogwarts rumor mill myself, I had learned that you can’t be too serious about the things you hear floating around the vast corridors of the castle. I had no idea what Sirius was up to, but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if I had a little fun with the nonsense that was being created around it by the student body. 

The Great Hall was virtually empty at this time of day. The lunch rush had already cleared and it was far too early for the dinner crowd to show up. There were four souls that occupied one of the tables in the far corner of the large hall. Sirius and Peter sat across from a seventh year Hufflepuff, Peter scribbling notes on a piece of parchment furiously as Sirius eyed the boy across from him. A little further down the table sat Remus reading a book, totally disinterested from the conversation happening close by.

I slid onto the bench next to Remus and placed a kiss on his cheek. “So what am I looking at here?” I asked him, leaning across him to look at Sirius and Peter. “Don’t tell me the rumors flying around the castle are true,” I said jokingly. “Is Sirius looking to take a new lover? Does Alexa know?”

Remus shook his head and tried to hide the smile spreading across his lips. “Sirius has taken it upon himself to find Blair a new suitor,” he explained, taking my hand in his and pulling me in closer. “He’s been interviewing guys for several days now, he’s been very thorough.”

I wished I could say I was surprised by this, but nothing about the Marauders surprised me anymore. “Well, Marcus, that will be all for today,” Sirius concluded, closing the folder lying on the table in front of him. “We will be in touch.” 

He offered his hand out to the bewildered looking Hufflepuff. “And what was this all for?” Marcus asked, completely clueless to why he was here getting grilled by three-fourths of the Marauders. Sirius stood up from the table and pulled Marcus closer across the table.

“The ‘whys’ of this don’t really concern you, Marcus. You will be made privy to the necessary information if the occasion arises. Until then, go about your day as if none of this happened.” And with that, the matter was settled. Sirius motioned to the entrance of the Great Hall and Marcus took off. Sirius turned to me and Remus and offered a smile. “Lyla, dear, so glad you could join us, but I will have to ask that you don’t mention any of this to our dear Blair.”

I pantomimed sealing my lips, a promise of my discretion. “I just have one question and then I will drop the subject entirely,” I negotiated. Sirius nodded for me to continue. “Why are you doing all this, Sirius?”

Sirius shrugged his shoulders and collected the folders into his bag. “Blair’s like family,” he stated simply. “I would do anything for you all.” I pulled Sirius into a hug and held him tightly. Sirius had been betrayed and cast aside by his birth family time and time again; but Sirius had found his family and I was just so grateful to be a part of it. “All right there, Lyls?” He asked, realizing that I had been clutching him tightly for probably a little too long.

Finally releasing Sirius from my hold, I gave his shoulders one last squeeze. “I just think it is very sweet what you’re doing for her,” I explained. He smiled and nodded, playing off the gratitude like it was no big deal. “But you should know that there are some rumors floating around the corridors because of all this.”

Sirius put up his hand to stop me. “Trust me, none of these guys are my type,” he assured me. “Besides, if I were to take up the company of a gentleman caller, it just makes the most sense that it would be James. But, alas, I merely love the poor git as a brother and we are both otherwise engaged with women we’ll most likely spend the rest of our lives with. So, the rumor mills will be waiting for some time to prove that rumor true.”

“How very progressive of you, Padfoot,” Remus commended. “And I’ll try not to take it personally that you would choose Prongs over me, mate.” I patted Remus on the chest to offer my condolences as Sirius came between us to wrap his arms around Remus.

Sirius snuggled his head into the crook of Remus’ neck and let out a sigh. “Oh my dear Moony, it would never work between us, though I wish it could,” he crooned. “What I wouldn’t give to get lost in those dreamy golden eyes.”

I rolled my eyes at the ongoing charade and dug my elbow into Sirius’ side. “All right, homewrecker, hands off my husband,” I chided. “Just keep your matchmaking skills focused on Blair and we won’t have any problems.” Sirius threw up his hands in surrender and we all headed out of the Great Hall to head for our review session.

A couple of days later, as the weekend approached, Alexa and I sat around in the Common Room taking a much needed break as Sirius sat close combing over the Marauder’s Map. We hadn’t been able to figure out what exactly Sirius was looking for, but he never seemed to find what he was looking for. “Is no one else a little on edge with our Hogsmeade trip coming up?” Alexa asked, crossing her legs underneath her body on the couch. “Whoever those people were, they sounded serious, and I can only imagine what kind of sick shit they have planned.”

I took a sip of my tea and murmured in agreement. “There’s nothing we can really do though,” I lamented. “We still haven’t been able to figure out who they were and they didn’t mention any tangible details. I’m wondering if we should even go to Hogsmeade this weekend, we don’t know how bad it’s going to be.”

“That’s exactly why we need to go,” Sirius piped up, not pulling his eyes from the map. “We may not know what’s going to go down, but if we can be there and be on high alert we can maybe help to lessen the damage. This is the whole reason we joined the Order, right?”

Alexa acknowledged Sirius’ point with a nod. I could tell that she was pleased mostly at the fact that Sirius had eased up on trying to get her to quit the Order and was now actively implicating her in unsanctioned Order business. “Right, the Order,” I said, a little bitter. “The same Order that Dumbledore essentially told us to butt out of for now?

Sirius gave me an understanding look. “You know I don’t agree with Dumbledore’s decree that we should lie low, so we wouldn’t be acting as members, but we can’t just not do anything,” Sirius reasoned. “If we know something is going to happen in Hogsmeade and people get hurt when we could have done something about it, I know I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”

Before we could continue the conversation, Blair bounded into the room, slightly out of breath. Alexa and I looked at her with wide eyes as she leaned over the arm of the red velvet couch trying to slow her breathing. “Whew,” she breathed out. “I really have to start doing more cardio, this castle is too damn big to be this out of shape.” I couldn’t help but laugh at Blair’s statement. Blair was one of those people who on first glance you would assume worked out six days a week and ate nothing but steamed veg. The reality was that you would rarely see Blair break out in anything more than a light jog and she sustained herself mostly on pumpkin pasties and chocolate frogs.

“Well, hello, Blair,” I greeted her with a smile. “Was there something you wanted to share with us?” Alexa shifted over on the couch closer to me to free up a spot for Blair.

She gladly took the seat and sat up straight, prepared to deliver her exciting news. “I, Blair Winchester, have been asked out on a date,” she announced ceremoniously. Alexa and I showered her with excitement and then I snuck a glance over to Sirius who shook his head letting me know he had nothing to do with it.

Alexa pulled Blair into a hug and then took her hands. “Tell us about the lucky guy who gets to have our B on his arm for an evening,” she pressed our very thrilled friend.

“His name is Damon, he’s a seventh year Ravenclaw,” she rattled off. “He’s the one in year two who cried when Sinistra read his tea leaves, which gave me some pause, but he’s really recovered from that, hasn’t cried in class since and he got totally hot. I think the public humiliation really helped his character and his looks.” She paused for a moment lost in her own thoughts and then came back to the presents in a matter of seconds. “Anyways, he’s taking me out for the Hogsmeade outing and I’m really excited about it and I’m going to need outfit and location opinions.”

Alexa smiled, but I could tell that behind that smile was worry. “This Hogsmeade weekend?” Alexa questioned, hoping that she didn’t already know the answer.

“Of course this Hogsmeade weekend,” Blair stated matter-of-factly. “I don’t have time to be booking dates out months in advance, we’re going to be graduating soon.” Well, she wasn’t wrong. Blair sure was planning to make the most of our remaining time here at Hogwarts.

That didn’t change the fact that Blair’s date was potentially going to get a major disruption; but this didn’t seem like the time to bring that up. “We’re so excited for you, B. And of course we’re here for all your wardrobe needs,” I assured her. 

Blair clapped her hands together and let out a squeal. It was honestly so nice to see Blair this excited about a date. Even though Blair had gone on quite a number of dates since James, nothing quite stuck and she never really seemed to be enjoying herself. “So where do you think we should go?” Blair brainstormed. “I don’t want anything too crowded, can’t handle all the looky-loos, but nothing too intimate; it’s a first date after all.”

To all of our surprise, a familiar voice emerged from behind Blair. Lily made her way over from the entrance to the Common Room and sat on the arm of the couch. “Madam Puddifoot’s is great for a first date,” Lily offered. “Most people will be crowding into the Three Broomsticks and the younger kids will be getting their sugar high from the sweet shop. Plus, there’s no better way to get to know someone than over a cup of tea.”

I dare not speak it out loud, but it was starting to feel like the ice between Lily and Blair was beginning to thaw a bit. Lily seemed genuinely excited for Blair and her date, and it was nice for all of us to be able to sit around and support one another. “I think that sounds just right,” Blair responded. “Thanks, Lily.” They both shared a smile as Alexa squeezed my knee as she observed their connection.

While this moment was lovely, it was becoming customary that these sweet moments would only last so long. “Blair, there is something that we need to tell you though,” I started, feeling the air in the room change. Blair looked at me perplexed. “When Lily, Alexa and I were studying in the library, we overheard two people talking about some sort of attack happening in Hogsmeade during the outing.” Her eyes widened and looked to Alexa and Lily for confirmation. “We don’t know what’s going to happen, or even who we need to keep an eye out for, but we just want you to be prepared.”

Alexa gave Blair’s arm a squeeze and a comforting smile. “You just need to worry about enjoying your date, and we will look out for you,” Alexa promised. “But, you know, keep your wand close by just in case things kick off.”

Blair’s face scrunched up and she nodded. “Sure, just what a first date needs--impending peril. Now, how does one dress for that sort of vibe?”

\--

“So explain to me again why we all had to head to Hogsmeade separately,” Remus said as we made the trek down to the quaint village. The air was crisp and the flowers were just starting to bloom along the pathway, I was hoping that it was a true sign of new beginnings.

I held tighter to Remus’ arm and laced our fingers together. “I told you, we don’t want Blair to think that we’re completely spying on her and keeping tabs. A staggered arrival makes it seem more coincidental.” I explained to him.

Remus rolled his eyes and shook his head. “But we are spying on her date, yes?” he asked, seeking clarification. 

“Well, yes, but we don’t want to be obvious about it.” As if that explained our, admittedly, insane behavior. In all honesty we were curious about Blair’s date, but I also felt better knowing that we were all going to be close by just in case an attack took place. 

Blair had gotten ready this morning in the girl’s dormitory with Alexa, Lily, and I as fashion experts. Despite Alexa’s bid for a far too short mini skirt and a bralette, we all agreed that Blair should instead go for a simple pair of jeans and a flowing blue top that really highlighted her eyes and hair.

As we neared the village, I could tell that Remus was preoccupied with a thought, and was currently piecing something out. “Now, I could be wrong, but even if we don’t all show up at the same time, don’t you think Blair is going to notice all of us sitting nearby? Madam Pudifoots isn’t exactly a large establishment and we aren’t exactly an inconspicuous group.”

I definitely saw where Remus was coming from, but I just shrugged my shoulders. We all were probably way too invested in Blair’s love life, but we just wanted her to be happy and she had the poor misfortune of being one of our remaining single friends. And if Peter ever plucked up the courage to ask a girl out we would show the same enthusiasm. 

As we got close to the tea shop, Remus let go of my hand to grab for the door. “Just act natural,” I instructed. Remus smirked in response and motioned for me to go before him. Inside, the small tea house was as cozy as ever and the sweet smell of tea leaves and confections wrapped you in a warm hug. I spotted Alexa at a back table in the corner and she waved at us discreetly. 

We quickly made a bee line for their table and quickly saw that everyone else had arrived and were by far the largest group in the shop. Alexa hastily gestured for us to sit down. She was donning large sunglasses and a silk scarf tied around her head in a bonnet. “Don’t you think that’s a bit much?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at my sister. 

She lowered her sunglasses down to where she was peering down just over the rims. “Never pass up the opportunity for an outfit, dear Lyla,” she educated me on the matter. “I’m frankly disappointed that no one else jumped at this opportunity. Blair would have agreed with me on this.”

Sirius rubbed his face with his hands, faking his disbelief at his girlfriend’s actions. I took this moment to do a quick scan of the rest of the patrons, Blair and her date noticeably absent. “Speaking of, where is Blair?”

“Isn’t that the big question of the afternoon,” Lily murmured, scooting a little closer to James, who looked a little uncomfortable. “We’ve been here for ages and we’ve seen neither tail nor hide of Ms. Winchester or her new beau.”

Very odd indeed, especially given that Blair had left ages before any of us. “Well, did anyone check the Map to see where she is?” I suggested. Alexa breathed out an ‘ah-ha’ as she turned expectantly to Sirius. Her attention was merely met with Sirius patting his pockets with no pertinent discovery. Our focus quickly shifted to James who diverted his gaze to the ceiling. The last of our hope fell onto Remus who just gave me a sheepish grin. “I swear, there’s hardly ever a moment that you lot aren’t using that blasted map, and a time when we really could use it you all conveniently leave it behind.” The chastisement came off a little more school marm-y than I had intended.

In the next moment, Alexa ripped the sunglasses from her face and pointed toward the front window. “That turncoat!” she shouted in a purely accusatorial tone. We all shifted to follow her gaze and saw none other than Blair entering into the Three Broomsticks with her date. “She’s a crafty one, that Blair, but she forgets that we are craftier and petty as hell.” She slid her sunglasses back on and grabbed her jacket. “Come on, let’s go.”

She stood up from the table unceremoniously and was stopped by Sirius’ hand on her arm. “Can’t we just sit for a minute?” he requested. Alexa’s expression implied that his request was completely unreasonable. “I only ask this because I’ve ordered some lovely scones for the table and I’d hate to see them go to waste.” I directed my stifled laugh into Remus’ shoulder in an attempt to spare myself from Alexa’s ire.

Alexa let out an exasperated sigh and sat back down in her seat. “We’ll box them up and eat them later,” she compromised. “And I’m eating at least two.” My sister, the master negotiator. 

Once the scones were securely packed up for us and placed into Alexa’s bag, we settled up and headed for the Three Broomsticks, where Blair was undoubtedly enjoying a pleasant and private first date. When we entered into the familiar establishment, it was bustling with students and villagers alike. It was honestly hard to sort out the people from one another, making it clear that Blair had thought this all out very masterfully. 

“I feel like we should divide and conquer,” Lily suggested. Alexa and I shared a proud look that she was joining in on our shenanigans and then gave her a nod in agreement. Remus and I headed off in one direction as everyone else went their own way. 

As we ducked in and out of the various groups scattered around the pub, Remus spoke. “Man, I’m sure glad that you and I didn’t have to endure this amount of scrutiny.” 

I turned to face him, wrapping my arms around his neck and stretching up on my tiptoes to place a kiss on his lips. “Oh, we most certainly did,” I assured him. “But it’s cute that you didn’t notice.” He looked confused by this revelation. “We were all a little bit more careful with our skulking around back then, but I know for a fact that Alexa and Blair were constantly keeping an eye on us and needling me endlessly about it. I can’t imagine Sirius and James didn’t do the same.”

Remus pursed his lips and squinted his eyes. He tightened his hold around my waist and shook his head. “I guess my attention was solely fixed on the most incredible, brilliant, beautiful girl I had ever met in my whole life,” he told me with a cheeky smile. 

I rolled my eyes, Remus knowing full well that I appreciated his sweet words. “Need I remind you that I’ve already married you?” I questioned. “No need to butter me up; you already got me.”

“Oh, I fully admit that I tricked you into a lifetime with me with sweet platitudes,” he teased. “I have to keep up the facade so you don’t wise up and hit the road. So, I will tell you every single day how amazing you are and how grateful I am to call you my partner.” I had to admit, I was giddy and completely forgot why we were here in the first place. I pulled him into another kiss, letting the large crowd of people fade away. 

It was all brought back in an instant as James appeared and pulled us apart. “Despite your poor effort in locating Blair, I was able to find them, but she definitely saw me and didn’t look pleased,” he quickly explained. “Alexa hustled a table from some fifth years, so we need to head that way and lay low.”

As if Merlin himself was orchestrating some sick joke, Blair arrived at the table at the exact moment we arrived, looking rather annoyed. Her gaze quickly moved from person to person, as if she wasn’t quite sure who to lay into first. Alexa stole her moment, however, going on a strong offense. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t our dear, dear friend,” she began. “Our dear friend with whom I thought we had no secrets; but it seems I have been mistaken.”

Blair rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Don’t even think about turning this on me,” Blair responded. “Look, I love you lot, but I knew you were going to show up and cause a scene. Again, I love you all, but none of us have exactly been successful dating outside of this small, incestuous little circle of ours, and I really need to give this a shot.”

I could see the sincerity in Blair’s eyes, and felt her plea. She was right, any time any of us girls attempted to date outside of the Marauders it tended to end in disaster, tears, and hurt feelings. Blair did need this; and honestly, so did James and Lily. I took Blair’s hand in mine and gave it a squeeze. “We’re sorry, B,” I apologized on behalf of all of us. “We just want to see you happy and I think we can all admit that we let that desire cloud our judgement. She returned my words with a smile. “So, how’s it going so far?”

Blair’s expression softened even more. “Actually, surprisingly well,” she gushed. “We’re getting on really well, and he seems really sweet.”

“He better be,” Sirius piped up, taking a slightly defensive tone. “You just make sure he is a proper gentleman; I don’t want to hear about any funny business. And while I appreciate your need to expand your dating pool, I think we should all take a pass at him before any final decisions are made.”

Without missing a step, Blair responded. “I can assure you that that will not happen,” she told him. “But I do appreciate the concern. Now, if I don’t get back over there soon, he’s going to think I’ve been in the bathroom for far too long and have some sort of weird condition.”

“Have fun, Blair,” Lily offered, as she got up from the table to join James next to Remus and I. They shared a nod with one another.

Alexa pulled Blair into a hug, taking Blair by surprise. “We’ll clear out of here and leave you to it, but if you need anything we’ll be close by,” she notified her. Blair gave her a questioning look. “Not within eye or ear shot, but not too far nonetheless.”

Blair kept an eye on the door as we all filed out of the Three Broomsticks, rightfully so. Once we were all outside in the fresh air we huddled together to regroup. “Well, not our most successful mission,” Sirius admitted with a laugh. “So, what do you propose we do now?”

“Well, I actually needed to stop into Scrivenshaft’s for some new ink and quills,” I suggested. Alexa looked less than thrilled about my plan and I could almost sense her desperation for someone else to counter my offer. “We can always split up and plan to meet back in a half hour or so,” throwing everyone a life raft from the horrors of quill shopping. “Just keep in mind that there still could be some sort of attack, so just stick together and stay alert.”

Sirius got a mischievous look on his face, like he always did, and threw an arm around James. “May I suggest leading a party to Zonko’s? For surveillance purposes of course.” Alexa, James, Sirius and Remus took off for the joke shop and Lily was good enough to come with me to do my shopping. 

“How did you draw the short straw?” I joked with her and we headed toward the quill shop.

Lily shook her head and laughed. “Even though I’m dating the likes of James Potter, doesn’t mean that I prefer jokes and trinkets to the simple pleasures of crisp stationary,” she clarified. “I know we’ve had our issues in the past, but you and I are very much alike.”

“Will you judge me if I try every single quill, even though I will inevitably buy the same quills that I get every time I come here?” I asked with a smile.

“Only if you don’t judge me for taking far too long to decide between two sets of stationary that have nearly imperceptible differences,” she negotiated. I stuck out my hand and we shook on our mutual agreement.

We shared a smile as I picked up a quill and let the smooth feather slide through my fingers. “You know, I never really had a problem with you,” I confided. Lily raised her eyebrow at me as she flipped through various parchments. “Sure, there was that brief period where you were aligned with people who had set out to make our lives miserable, but I could always tell that that wasn’t really you. We’re all just looking for a place to belong, and I’m glad we all finally found each other.”

Lily seemed stunned at my words. She dropped the packet of parchment she was holding back on the shelf and threw her arms around me suddenly. She squeezed me tight, holding me for a few moments before she finally released me. Her eyes were glassy, but her expression was of happiness. “And I hope you all know that I would want to be your friend even if I wasn’t with James.” I gave her hand a squeeze and we both turned back to the quills and papers before us. 

Tucking our purchases into our bags, we set out onto the quaint cobblestone streets of Hogsmeade and found our other companions milling about nearby. “Successful shopping trip?” James asked as he threw an arm around Lily’s shoulders.

“Quills and ink have been acquired,” I replied. “I can continue to take notes for you lazy lot, never fear.” They all rolled their eyes at my chiding.

“Now that that’s sorted, shall we mosey over to the Shack to test our wares from old Zonko’s free from prying eyes?” Sirius suggested as he walked backward in the direction of the Shrieking Shack, clearly indicating that his question was less of a suggestion and more of a directive.

As we neared the Shrieking Shack we heard some commotion just over the hill that led to the abandoned dilapidated building. We all stopped right in our tracks as we heard a strangled scream. After exchanging panicked we took off in a run to locate the source of the sound. 

There were several tall figures arranged in a circle, their focus centered on the ground in front of them. As we got closer we could see a body crumpled up in the middle of the group of people and whoever it was was writhing in pain. As they shifted and contorted, no one seemed to be doing anything to help them. There was a flash and the body on the ground again cried out in pain. I realized that the flash was from one of the towering figures and their wands were drawn. 

“What the hell is going on?” Alexa posited. “We have to do something.” As she began to take off for the group, Sirius grabbed her arm to give her some pause. She gave him a look as she pulled her arm away from him. “This is not the time, Sirius.”

Sirius let out a groan and then pulled out his wand. “At least get your wand out to protect yourself,” Sirius instructed, restraint in his voice. Another flash of light and another scream escaped. The body on the ground shifted and we could now see the pained face more clearly. A chill ran down my spine as I registered what I was seeing. 

“Blair,” I choked out, my throat drier than a desert. “It’s Blair.” James processed what I was saying and searched my face for a different answer and then looked back to where Blair was lying. He drew his wand and took off toward the group of people, all of us following closely behind him.

“Leave her alone,” James shouted as he shoved one of the individuals hurting Blair. Before I knew it, spells were being cast, and chaos had ensued. It was hard to focus on any one thing as the mass of people dispersed. I shook myself from my reverie and deflected a spell that had been shot my way. I saw Remus disarm a boy that looked a little younger than us, and then my attention was caught by the shaking figure on the ground.

It was then that I realized Blair was still crumpled on the ground. She had momentarily been forgotten by her tormentors and she remained in her spot. At first she didn’t seem to be moving but as I got closer to her, I could see she was shaking. Weaving through the people and spells, I finally reached Blair and dropped to the ground beside her.

Her eyes were filled with fear and there were tears streaming down her cheeks. “Blair, it’s okay, it’s going to be okay, we’ve got you now,” I assured her. I could barely see it, but she shook her head as she tried to say something. The words wouldn’t come even as she struggled to say anything, which only caused more tears to pour forth. I laid down on the ground next to her, my face inches from hers and took her hand in mine. “You’re going to be okay,” I told her again. I had to keep saying it as much for myself as for Blair. 

She still looked so scared and her body was still shaking in pain. “D-d-d-amon,” Blair struggled to whisper to me. I nodded my head and smoothed the hair around her face, trying to give her some comfort. 

I jumped slightly as I felt a hand on my arm. Remus was next to me and was pulling me up from my spot. “Lyla, we have to go,” he said hurriedly. “We have to get Blair up to Madame Pomfrey.”

Blair’s eyes searched mine and Remus’ face for answers as the crowd began to disperse and we were the only ones who remained. “Who were those people? What is going on, Remus?” I asked frantically. Remus muttered something about there not being time as he scooped Blair up into his arms. Blair grimaced as her body was manipulated and I followed right behind Remus as he made his way toward the castle. 

Behind us, Alexa, James, Lily and Sirius we running to catch up with us. James and Sirius eclipsed us and they ran ahead to make sure Madam Pomfrey was there and ready. Everything moved in a blur as we reached the Hospital Wing. We were greeted by Madam Pomfrey and she led Remus over to the nearest bed where he carefully placed Blair’s weak body on the white linens.

“What curses were used on her?” Madam Pomfrey questioned us. Her question was met with our silence. “My dear Miss Winchester, can you tell me what happened?”

Tears began to form in Blair’s eyes as she struggled to form the words. Eventually, Blair muttered a word that was inaudible at first. We all moved a bit closer to better hear what our friend had to say. “Mudblood,” she repeated. 

There was a sudden loud crash that made us all jump. Sirius had pushed over a tray of instruments and was fuming with obvious anger. “All right, all of you out,” Madam Pomfrey ordered. “That kind of behavior is not going to do anything to help Miss Winchester. You can all wait outside, the Headmaster is already on his way and can speak with you when he arrives.”

Sirius looked more enraged by our banishment, but Alexa rushed over to him and grabbed his arms to pull him toward the door. She gave him a look that silenced Sirius before he could say anything he would regret. Moments later, Dumbledore and McGonagall arrived; Dumbledore passing us without a word into the Hospital Wing. 

McGonagall paused for a moment. “I want you all to wait here, the Headmaster and I want to have a word with all of you after we get some clarity on the situation from Miss Winchester,” she told us. “We are Gryffindors and will conduct ourselves as such,” she added, the look in her eyes softening. “We are brave in the face of adversity and we show restraint even when our emotions move to get the better of us. That being said, Gryffindors also defend their own at all costs; and I hold myself to that standard.”

She turned without another word and followed after Dumbledore, closing the large door behind her. Sirius hit his hand against the wall. “I’m so fucking tired of this shit,” he said through gritted teeth. Alexa rubbed her hands over her face in frustration. “This pureblood bullshit has got to stop.”

“Sirius, I know you’re upset, we all are, but McGonagall is right,” Alexa pleaded with him. “We need to wait and hear what Blair says, and until then, we need to keep it together. Acting out and doing something stupid is not going to help Blair, and it’s not going to help us in the bigger fight against all this.” She reached for his arm and Sirius pulled away slightly and then gave her an apologetic look.

James slid down the wall and propped his arms on his bent knees. “Did anyone get a good look at the people who were torturing Blair?” he asked cooly. 

Lily shook her head in disappointment. “Everything happened so fast,” she responded. “It took all my focus to try and block all the spells that were coming at us. But they didn’t look any older than us, they had to have been students, some of them even looked younger.”

I suddenly remembered what Blair had said when I had finally reached her. “Damon,” I spoke up. Everyone looked at me, perplexed. “When I asked Blair what had happened, all she could get out was Damon’s name. I’m not sure exactly what happened, but he was a part of it, and he’s wrapped up in all this pureblood nonsense.”

“I’ll kill the son of a bitch,” Sirius muttered under his breath.

Alexa shot him another look. “You will do no such thing,” she commanded. “We’re going to make sure Blair is okay, and Dumbledore and McGonagall will deal with any students that were involved in the attack.”

“This fight is only going to get dirtier and more personal,” Remus reasoned. “If we react emotionally every time someone we love or know is targeted or attacked, we are going to lose this fight and we will all suffer a tremendous loss. We have to use that anger and that emotion to fuel the fire but we can’t let it consume us. 

“This is bigger than us, than this castle,” Remus continued. “We have to do what’s best not only for Blair but for all of the muggle borns, mixed bloods and anyone else who is deemed different.” Sirius gave him a reluctant nod, at least somewhat agreeing with what Remus was saying. “Don’t worry, mate, Damon won’t get away with this. Gryffindors may protect their own, but Marauders don’t let a challenge go unanswered.”

The door to the Hospital Wing opened abruptly and Dumbledore passed by us without a word or even a look. McGonagall exited shortly after and once again stopped before us. “You may see Miss Winchester now,” she told us. “I want you all back in the Common Room by night fall, no roaming about getting into trouble.” This last part was directed at the Marauders, made even more clear by the pointed look she gave each of the boys.

We all nodded and then headed in to see Blair. She was resting on the bed, her body no longer contorted and shaking. She was sitting up on the bed and had dark circles under her eyes. Alexa threw her arms around Blair and held her tightly as I took a seat on the end of the cot. 

“Don’t scare us like that again,” Alexa commanded. Blair gave her a weak smile as they separated. “What happened, B?”

“Trust me, there’s nothing about what happened that I wish to repeat,” she assured us. “It’s all a bit of a blur to be honest. After I saw you all, Damon and I carried on chatting over butterbeers and then we went for a stroll. Before I knew it, I was on the ground, Damon was nowhere to be found and these dark hooded figures descended upon me and I was in an immense amount of pain, more than I’ve ever experienced in my life. Luckily, I think I blacked out for a bit and when I came to you all had shown up.”

“Did you get a good look at any of the others that were there?” Sirius probed, fire and vengeance in his eyes.

Blair shook her head slightly. “It was really hard to focus on anything at the time,” she admitted. “I know they were students though, they had to be. I know I can’t prove anything but I can just feel it in my gut. And Damon was clearly wrapped up in all of it. I’m so stupid, I should have known it was too good to be true.”

I patted Blair on the knee to provide some comfort. There was no way Blair could have forseen this. “Blair, trust me, we are going to hold someone responsible for this,” James assured her. “Did you tell Dumbledore that Damon was one of the students?”

At this Blair paused and I could see tears starting to form again. She shook her head with some shame. “The last thing he said to me before they all started to torture me was that if I said anything about his, or anyone else’s, involvement that the next person wouldn’t be treated as kindly. One by one they are planning to target every single muggleborn in the castle. I shudder to think what they would do if I reported him; I can’t have that on my conscience.”

Lily gasped softly and hugged her arms around her waist, leaning into James. He consoled her with his arms as he realized that Lily could be next. Sirius forced his hands through his hair and bit back the anger that was swelling inside him. “It’s all just so overwhelming,” I spoke freely. “It seems like we’re battling the devil himself. How are we supposed to fight against that?”

Sirius collected himself briefly. “At the end of the day, they are just individual people who have bought into this insane idea of superiority that has been sold to them by people too fucking insecure to own up to the fact that we are all flawed, no matter how pure your blood is. We have to be smart about it, but we have to start fighting back, holding people responsible for their actions. And I know just where to start.”

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! We hope everyone is staying safe, doing their part to keep socially distant, but also continuing to practice good mental health in the meantime! Sorry for the long wait on this! We've had it written for some time now, but we were going to try and wait til we had more chapters ready so the waits wouldn't be as crazy...but things got out of hand :/ However, we hope you enjoyed it and eagerly await any feedback you might have! Promise to have the next one up soon!


	28. Rule 56: When Composing a Threatening Letter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I talked with Edgar Bones for a bit last night. He’s working on some sort of calcified gemstone the goblins at Gringotts found on a centaur which they think is cursed with some dark magic. He made it seem a little more exciting than the pamphlets McGonagall gave me. I’m thinking of looking into the internship.” I lowered my voice, choosing to ignore whatever Slughorn was talking about at the front of the classroom. By the jovial way he was rubbing his stomach, I could assume he was just telling a story that had nothing to do with any of our potions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: We don't own Harry Potter or anything else that belongs to JK Rowling.   
(Does anyone still do a disclaimer? Or do we all just agree that because we know it's fanfiction we obviously don't own it?)
> 
> Hello lovers! A surprisingly quick update from your notoriously long between chapters authors! Hopefully a good surprise, and not one that has you saying 'I wish these clowns would leave us alone!' As usual, you know the drill! If you enjoyed it, a little kudos or few words of kindness would not go amiss! And we do hope you enjoy! For now, read on, and see you at the bottom!

_ Rule 56: When composing a threatening letter, it is best to be short, concise, and incredibly threatening, otherwise you’re missing the whole point. Don’t concede threat level, for short and concise. Also, don’t accidentally leave said threatening note out for any professor to find because you will have to explain why you’re threatening your best friend’s mum for embarrassing photos of them. Sorry Mrs. P. _

_ Alexa’s Point of View _

* * *

“What do you think about this one?” Unfurling the scrap of parchment I was holding, I cleared my throat before reading the threatening letter I was quite proud of. “Damon, Meet in Astronomy Tower. 11 tonight. Come alone, or else.” I paused for dramatic effect, looking around the small committee of Lyla and Lily who were each looking at me with a bewildered look on their faces. 

Lily snatched the parchment from my hand, then shook her head. “There are even less words on here than what you read. Literally you put ‘A’ tower, not even the full word!” She passed the parchment to Lyla who immediately balled it up and tossed it into the growing pile in front of us. I let out a dejected sigh. At this rate, I was going to have to sneak into Hogsmeade to buy more parchment.

“It’s dramatic. We’re just trying to get him to meet us somewhere. We don’t need to embellish.” I argued, and Lyla tore another piece from my dwindling scroll. 

“It needs to at least be readable,” She paused before snatching the quill from my fingers as well, “And legible.” I rolled my eyes, leaning back in my seat while Lyla squinted down at the parchment in front of her. Lily was leaning over her shoulder, quietly pointing out different words she could use, before they decided it was complete. 

Lyla made a big show of dusting her hands off, while Lily handed the paper over. “We need to talk. Meet us in the Astronomy Tower tonight at 11 PM sharp. Come alone.” I put the paper down in my lap and looked at my sister. “Do you want to write a sonnet as well? It’s not menacing enough! We need to add some pizazz. He’s definitely not going to feel threatened with this one.”

“But if he feels threatened he won’t even show. What we need is for him to not bring back up.” Lyla snapped back. Before I could respond, or Lily could intervene in one of our classic sister squabbles, the door to the Room of Requirements opened, and four boys strolled through. I quickly hid the paper that I was still holding in my hands. 

“Trying to start a bonfire?” James asked as he spotted the growing pile in the middle of our armchairs. Lily gave him a disarming smile while he leaned down to kiss her, before perching himself on the arm of her seat. 

“Just working on a collaborative essay. Shouldn’t take but a moment to finish up.” Lyla said with barely concealed nervousness. Remus gave her a knowing look, before snatching a piece of parchment from the pile, faster than we could react.

Lyla dove for it, clearly giving herself away, while Remus held it aloft in her hand. “You really do need to work on your lying skills.” She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at her husband who tossed the ball to the outstretched palm of my waiting boyfriend. 

I felt my stomach drop slightly as I thought about the impending argument we were sure to have. “From what I can read, and it’s not much, I feel like we’re going to need to have another chat with you all.” Sirius said, his voice deepening as he looked directly at me. I felt myself bristle, knowing that I was responding both to his anger, and to being treated like I didn’t have a say in this. 

“That’s not even the one we were going to use.” I poked him in the side, hard enough for him to lose focus for a moment, before grabbing the old paper and tossing it back into the pile. Lily, graciously, vanished them away without giving the boys a chance to read anymore of our failed attempts.

“No, but I’m guessing this one was?” Peter piped up, holding the final draft of Lyla, Lily, and I’s attempt at a threatening letter. 

“E tu, Peter?” Lyla said with a shake of her head. Remus held his hand out for the note from Peter, who handed it over. James and Sirius took a similar stance next to him, while they peered over the note. “You don't get it. This is Blair we’re talking about. Our best friend. If you thought we were just going to sit idly by and not do anything then you don’t know us at all.”

“And we specifically said that we would do this together.” Sirius said, his voice slightly raised as he ran a hand over his face. “What don’t you understand by the fact that Dumbledore threatened to expel you at the first sign of trouble? In my seven years here, none of us have been threatened with expulsion, I’ll have you know.”

“Keep your voice down.” I said, standing to take Sirius’s hands and lead him to the seat I had vacated. “Calm down for a second, please. Let’s talk about this.”

“There’s not much to talk about.” Remus said, balling the parchment into his hand. “You all were going to go behind our backs and get yourself in trouble, or worse, hurt, again. When would we have found out about it?” He looked from Lily, to me, and then to his wife. “After you’d gotten caught? Or when we had to visit you in the hospital wing too?”

“Rem, we were just going to try and get him to talk to us. We weren’t going to just go in without a plan.” Lyla said, her voice softening at the worry on Remus’s face. 

“It’s Blair.” Is all I could say while I looked around at the Marauder’s, trying to get them to see the reason behind what we were trying to do. 

James took his glasses off his face, rubbing at the bridge of his nose with pinched fingers. “We know that. Which is why we were coming to find you all.”   
  


“What do you mean?” Lily said, looking at her boyfriend with a skeptical face. I could remember their knock-down-drag-out fights back before James got together, so I knew the face she was making well. Just because they were now in love, Lily could still put this bespeckled git in his place faster than anyone I knew. “We’re not backing down from this.”   
  


“We’re not asking you to,” Sirius said, startling me slightly when he pulled me by the hand to stand nearer to him. “We’re asking you to do this together, as a team, with us.”

“Really?” I asked, trying to keep the wavering quality out of my voice, “You’re not going to let us help and then pull us out at the last second? We’re a part of this, one-hundred percent?”

“You told me you wanted to be all in on this Order business, and I’m trying my best to respect that choice. But you’ve got to let me be all in on it with you.” He said, looking at me more seriously than I had ever seen him be about something.

“It’s the only way this is going to work.” Remus said, and Lyla smiled at him, holding his hand tight before conjuring four more chairs. 

“Then let’s get down to brass tacks.” She pulled the paper she must have stolen back from Remus out from behind her, and smoothed it down on a table that the Room had provided for us. “What is it you don’t like about this note?”

\--

“Where are they?” Blair’s voice was small from next to me, and I gave her an encouraging one-armed hug as we sat in an empty classroom near the top of the castle, one floor down from the Astronomy tower. 

The noise of Sirius’s boots hitting the edge of the desk was loud in the relative silence of the dark night. He tilted back slightly in the chair he had taken behind the old Professor’s desk, and twirled his wand between his fingers. “He’ll be here.” His voice was dark, and I studied him from my seat a few rows down. He looked determined, and I felt myself grow more nervous at the recklessness displayed in that determination. 

“It’s okay, Blair. We’re all here with you now; nothing is going to happen.” Lyla said, leaning up against the desk beside Blair. The clock tolled eleven, and James’ pacing came to an end as the door to the classroom slowly slid open. Remus stood from his seat by Lyla, taking a slightly protective stance in front of us, as Sirius dropped from his casual arrangement to stand in solidarity next to James near the doorway. 

Damon’s bitter laugh went through me like someone had tipped me into the Black lake. Lily’s grip on her wand tightened, her figure ramrod straight next to me. “I should have known you wouldn’t be alone. Gryffindor courage must really be missing in the seven of you.”

“Don’t think we’ll need any tonight,” James said, his voice clear. Damon smirked, moving to come further into the classroom. It was then that I saw that he hadn’t come alone, as our note suggested. 

“As you can see, I didn’t doubt you’d be bull-headed enough to not bring backup.” I tried to keep myself steady, as Blair let out a soft whimper from between Lyla and I. Three others dressed in all black stepped into the room, and I clenched my teeth when I caught Theodore Nott’s eye. Of course he’d come along. 

“Well, we’ve always been smart enough to never trust a snake.” Sirius said, his hands casually in his pocket while he leaned against a desk a few feet away from the Slytherin’s. James smirked, feeling the same, and I was suddenly very glad we hadn’t come alone, especially when Damon turned to look towards the girl standing between Lyla and I. “You’ve got a lot to explain about what happened the other day. You’re disgusting, you know that? You’ll have to pay for what you’ve done, but we’ve got some questions first.”

Instead of addressing what Sirius was saying, Damon focussed in on a particular spot in the room. “Hi Blair. Feeling better?” He asked innocently, and she gasped, turning into Lyla who wrapped her arms around herself.

“Don’t you dare speak to her,” I bit out, my hands shaking in anger and nerves as I took a step in front of Blair. Lily did the same, and with Remus we blocked Blair from his slimy view. 

“I’ll not be spoken to by the likes of a half-breed like you,” Damon said, his voice dripping with disdain. Sirius had Damon pinned with his wand in a matter of moments, and I felt my breath catch in my throat as wands were drawn and the tension sky-rocketed. 

“You will not speak to her like that again.” He said, his voice quiet and as sharp as a knife. Damon only laughed, pushing Sirius away from him before he crossed his arms. 

“I’ll do as I like. And soon you won’t be able to do anything about it. You never did know when to leave well-enough alone, did you, Black? I heard that you were no longer welcome into your Mother’s home; how your poor Father is dwindling away while his first born son pisses his life away surrounded by half-breeds, mudbloods, and blood traitors.” Damon’s voice rose, knowing he’d get a rise from Sirius, and James surged forward, preventing Sirius from ditching his wand and brawling the muggle way. “Toujours pur, isn’t that how the saying goes?”

“Enough.” A voice said from towards the back of the classroom, and I frowned as a slightly familiar face came more into the light. “We came to find out what they wanted.”

“Reg,” Sirius said, his voice leaving him in a rush, as he looked at his brother, who had cast his lots in with the absolute wrong type of crowd. I moved closer to Sirius, walking through the desks slowly so I didn’t startle everyone into waving wands and casting spells. “What are you doing with them?”

Regulus didn’t answer, and so James took the chance to get the answers we came here for, addressing Damon. “We know it was you, Rowle. You’ll pay for what you’ve done, and so will those that helped you. Now give us the names.” 

Nott laughed loudly as did MacNair, the other boy in the room with them. Regulus shook his head, his eyes remaining on his brother, and Damon rolled his eyes at James. “You think I’ll just turn tail and run, Potter? You have no idea what’s coming. This won’t be the last time we’ll teach the mudblood scum of this school a lesson.”

“A new age is coming, and we’re just the beginning.” Nott spoke up, and I grabbed for my wand, not realizing he was as close to me as he was. Lily stood behind him, her wand already in the air, unwavering in her anger at the boy now standing in front of me. “You all think you’re safe here in the castle because Dumbledore is protecting you. But there’s a man who knows the true ways of the wizarding world, who will purge the impure blood and make it pure again.”

“What the fuck are you on?” I asked, feeling my blood boil as he spouted his purist agenda. “If you think someone we’ve never even heard of is going to scare us then you’ve got another thing coming.” 

“You’ll be the first one that goes, Parker. When I get what’s promised to me, you’re going to be the first. The Dark Lord would just love to put a stop to that smart mouth of yours.” Nott’s voice rose, and as spells started to form in my mind, all hell started to break loose around me. Lyla was yelling obscenities at the boy in front of me, Remus at her side while Macnair closed in. Lily rushed to Blair’s side where she was standing like a deer in the headlights, paralyzed with fear. Damon was fending off a fairly vicious attack from James, while Sirius manhandled his brother and they screamed at each other. 

Amongst the chaos, a light switched on in the corridor, and the door opened once more. At once, everything went completely silent. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Peter appeared, shaky and out of breath. “Sinistra. She’s,” He paused, taking a deep breath, but no one stopped to hear what she said as we all went into fight or flight, where the only option was to stop our fighting and fly back to our Common Rooms at risk of detention, expulsion, and possibly much worse. 

“This isn’t over, remember that.” Regulus said as he and the rest of his cronies slipped away. 

“We have to get out of here.” Remus said, looking around at everyone to make sure we were all okay. I grabbed Sirius’ hand, trying to shake him out of whatever he was about to do, like go after his brother and make a massive scene, while looking to James, our fearless leader. 

“Girls, take the map and go with Remus. Padfoot, Wormtail, I believe we need to run distraction plan 3.” Lily gave James an incredulous look, but he was already stripping out of his robe and taking his glasses off. “Go! Before she catches you.”

“What the hell is going on?” Lily muttered under her breath, but she took after Remus and Lyla, while Blair and I followed along. The corridors were quiet, the only sounds our footsteps, until we heard a shriek, closely rounded out by what sounded like a dog barking. Lyla glanced back at us, but Remus seemed satisfied with whatever he saw on the map, and made us hurry along. 

By the time we were in the Common Room, my head was spinning. “What in the hell was Nott talking about? What kind of psycho is out there talking about purifying the wizard race? And who the fuck names themselves the Dark Lord?” My stream of consciousness was cut off as Lyla ushered us into her and Remus’ private quarters, wisely remembering that not everyone was going to be awake past midnight on a Tuesday. 

“We were right - if Dumbledore is recruiting at school, then who’s to say that this Dark Lord character isn’t doing the same. And now we have proof that he is. Anyone could be in on it, or any of us could be next.” Lily paused, her body shaking with the threat that had just been leveled upon us and the school itself. 

We took a moment to let the weight of what was happening outside of school, as well as within it, settle, when the private door opened and the rest of the Marauders walked in. Peter was limping slightly, but no one looked any worse for the wear. “Were you caught?” Remus asked quickly, and I hurried over to Sirius whose eyes were clouded with emotion. 

“No,” James answered, coming to fall onto the couch, exhaustion written on his face. “What the bloody hell just happened?” 

“My brother was a part of it.” Sirius said quietly, sitting heavily into the armchair, his face buried in his hands. Lyla and I shared a look, and I rested my hand comfortingly on his back. 

“This isn’t your fault.” I said, kneeling down in front of him now, taking his hands away from his face. Anger, hurt, betrayal all featured prominently in his eyes. I laced his fingers with mine and held tight. “There is absolutely nothing you could have done to stop this.”

“But he was there - not just tonight. He was there when those bastards were hurting Blair. I know he was because my parents would have told him to be; they’re absolutely right in the thick of it.” Sirius unlaced our fingers, wrapping his arms around me and I pulled him into me as he hid his face in my neck.

The silence in the room was overwhelming, and I closed my eyes, trying to not let any of the emotions that I was feeling take me under. Movement to my left had me turning, looking into the soft brown eyes of my best friend as she too wrapped her arms around Sirius. Blair’s voice was soft but strong as she spoke into the top of his head. 

“You are not to blame for this, Sirius.” She took in a deep breath as Sirius shook slightly, and I felt my resolve crumbling. “I don’t blame you for this.” 

We stayed like that for a few moments more, before the door opened once again. My nerves were shot, and by this point, Dumbledore could have thrown me bodily from the castle and I wouldn’t have cared, but when I looked up at Professor McGonagall, I felt my stomach fall even further than it had. 

“Professor?” Lyla asked, clearing her throat and moving to stand, trying to seem as if all of us sharing an emotional moment on a technically Wednesday morning before 3AM was a normal sight. 

“I’m uninterested in whatever is happening here at present time. I need Ms. Parker and Mrs. Lupin to please follow me to the Headmaster’s office.” If possible, every last bit of air had been knocked from me, and I stood on shaky legs as Lyla and I were summoned to what was sure to be our final hours. 

“Professor, I think we have a right to know what’s going on before they leave.” There was never a moment that I thanked Merlin more for having brought James Potter, Head Boy Extreme, into my life. 

Professor McGonagall thought about it for a moment, and then with a shuddering breath she gave us a tight-lipped frown. “Very well. Scott Parker has been found.” 

\--

My hands shook terribly, as I tried in vain to finish tying up the laces on my trainers. They had come undone halfway to Dumbledore’s office, and I had bent over to fix them after nearly falling flat on my face for the third time. “I can’t get these fucking shoes tied.” I wanted to scream, tears clouding my vision as I tried to avoid the looks of my friends and sister who waited just down the hallway from me. 

A pair of hands gently moved my trembling fingers aside, methodically tying the shoes with ease. I looked up into Sirius’ eyes, and he gave me a gentle look that almost had me coming undone. “Hey, it’s going to be okay.” 

“What if he’s dead, Sirius? I don’t know what I’ll do.” I thought of the meager information McGonagall had given us, the carefully guarded look in her eye, and the white palor Lyla’s face had taken when she had told us that Scott had been found. My boisterous, outgoing, terribly kind uncle, who I wasn’t sure I would ever see again. My heart lurched in my chest. 

“We don’t know that. Let’s get to the meeting, but remember he could be fine.” Sirius didn’t sound like he believed it, but I appreciated his trying to make me feel better. I took his pro-offered hand, and we made our way towards Dumbledore’s office. It was empty as we entered from the winding staircase, but the fire was roaring in a strange way, that I recognized meant the floo was open. 

McGonagall stood in front of it, holding a bowl of green powder towards us. “Take a handful of this, and speak very clearly - Hog’s Head Inn.” She motioned us forward, and Lyla let go of Remus’ hand to grab herself some powder. As she stepped into the roaring fire, the flames parted to gently lick around her ankles. She tossed the substance down on the ground, and spoke the words, before the flames roared once again, a violent green, and she whisked out of sight. 

Not wanting her to be alone on the other side with news I was unsure I even wanted to hear, I stepped forward and did the same. Readying myself for the strange feeling of flying through nothingness and coming out the other side. A moment later, a large space appeared in front of me, and I flung myself forward towards the waiting room. When I stepped, or more stumbled, out of the fireplace, my heart felt as though it had stopped. 

Lyla had her arms around a man that looked like a poor imitation of our Uncle Scott. He had a strange pallor to his skin, almost gray with sunken purple circles around his eyes. I could quite clearly see the wrists in his bones that were wrapped around Lyla’s shoulders, and his short, cropped hair had turned shockingly white, long and scraggly around his chin. “Scott?” I asked in a breathless, broken voice, before joining Lyla in hugging my lost uncle. 

He was rail thin, and swaying slightly on unsteady legs. I felt arms around me as my father stepped over and helped Scott into his waiting seat. His eyes glistened with tears, and it took me a moment to recognize that most of the Order was here, more members coming in from the main door in the corner, somber nods being exchanged around the room. Dumbledore sat at the head of what appeared to be the centralized table. 

Monica and Brock, Scott’s children, sat next to their father, and I took Sirius’ hand as he came up next to me, joining the table that included my other Uncle Timothy, and his wife Zoe, as well as my aunt Linda and her husband Jim. There was room enough for the family, so Lily, James, and Blair joined the table behind us to stay close and Dumbledore called for everyone’s attention. 

I noticed that the room had become crowded, and wondered if Dumbledore had been gone this whole time recruiting others to the cause. I wanted to spew the information that we had learned tonight, but kept my mouth shut for fear of the consequences of meeting illicitly after curfew with people I had been expressly forbidden to interact with. I exchanged a glance with Lyla, but she was still staring at Scott, unable to fully process that he was alive and, although he looked like a wraith, was here. 

“As you can all see, the news for tonight is both a mixture of good and bad. Scott Parker is back with us, alive and, in time, well. He has brought with him unforseen knowledge about what is happening and has agreed to share with us what he can.” Dumbledore motioned for Scott, who stood with my father and Timothy’s help, and hobbled to the front of the room. Standing next to his brothers, he looked even smaller and more fragile than he had when I first saw him. 

Scott cleared his throat, and looked at his hands, his spirit broken along with his body. “I was taken to a house outside of Britain, from the accents of the maids I would guess somewhere in Romania, where the man they’re calling the Dark Lord was hiding. He talked extensively with a few of his followers about a ‘blood-cleansing’ that they would carry out.” He paused, shuddering and then took a deep breath before continuing. “They plan on taking over the ministry, entering into high positions to take matters into their own hands, and performing terrible things on anyone of a less favorable magical descent.”

“Meaning anyone of non-magical or what they think to be tarnished magical blood. They’re calling themselves Death Eaters.” My father continued as Scott trailed off, his voice failing him. “And they could be anyone.”

“Did you see any faces?” I looked at the voice coming from the otherside of the room. Kingsley Shacklebot, our own Ministry worker, looked irate. I wondered how he felt, knowing there were enemies around him every day, but not knowing who they were. As we discovered more names within the school, I wondered if it were better to treat everyone like an enemy rather than a friend. 

“I was kept blinded most of the time. I only recently regained my sight.” Scott’s voice was a whisper, and I clenched Sirius’ hand tighter, thinking of how it would be subjected to terrible things without being able to see. What had Scott been apart of that had led him into their capture?

“How did you escape?” A woman who bore a striking resemblance to Marlene McKinnon and could only be her mother asked, her voice soft and comforting. I noticed a few of the McKinnon’s and wondered if the whole family could be here, and then realized that was exactly what had happened with the Parkers too. Looking around the room, I noticed that while we were few, we were mostly families, and the thought both comforted and chilled me. What if this Dark Lord grew to power? Would full families be wiped away without thought?

“Scott was let go. They brought him back to the place he was taken. Scott had been on a scouting mission for the Order, looking into whether or not these Death Eaters had been recruiting other magical creatures, and as he has had contacts in the vampire community for a short period of time, we thought him to be most prudent in checking in with them. The Death Eaters were indeed there, and he was found out. A woman within that community alerted us of his presence once they had let him free.” Dumbledore relayed. 

Hushed whispers started around the room. Vampire clans were not to be trifled with, and while they usually kept to themselves, they weren’t usually ones to get behind human causes, whether magical or not. If they were being approached by the other side, this conflict could quickly become deadly and a full out war in no time. 

Alastor Moody, one of the most famous auror’s in the Ministry, and Kingsley’s mentor, stood from his seat. He was a handsome man, or would have been, had he not lost one of his eyes to a rogue centaur (or so the story went) and replaced it with a magical eye, which spun and twisted constantly, a faint whirring sound accompanying the act. It gave him a creepy-air, like he was always watching and calculating everyone’s next moves. 

“We have a few leads on this ‘Dark Lord’ character, but it’s like trying to catch a ghost who doesn’t want to be found. We have to keep our ears to the ground.” He paused for a moment, and I looked away thinking he was finished. In a loud voice that startled pretty much everyone at the meeting, he yelled “Constant vigilance,” and resumed his seat. Despite the situation’s seriousness, I had to bite down on my lip to keep the nervous, exhausted laughter from bubbling forth. 

Lyla peeked at me out of the corner of her eye, and I shook my head, knowing if our eyes met the hysteria that was building would burst forth. Dumbledore nodded, and then motioned for Scott to sit back down. He was swaying on his feet, and had he not been accompanied by his brothers would have slid down to the floor a long time ago. “If anyone has any information, or believes there is a lead we should be following, please contact me. Minerva and I have had a bit of luck with a dear professor at the school, who has helped us develop a way to keep in contact, which we will be able to distribute and use as soon as they are ready. For now, please contact my brother Aberforth,” He motioned to a man behind the bar who looked like a younger, perhaps less worried version of himself, “and he will be able to get into touch with me.”

“This will conclude the meeting. Please stay for a drink to celebrate the safe return of Scott Parker.” McGonagall said, before the meeting broke off into scattered groups of people. I noticed Blair going over to say hello to the Prewett brothers and Caradoc, who were shortly joined by Marlene and her older sister. James and Lily went to the bar, gathering up a round of drinks for the table, and then bringing them back to scootch around as we all looked to Scott.

Once I’d taken a few drinks of the butterbeer placed in front of me, and felt it warm my body, I leaned in so only Lyla could hear me. “Should we say something about tonight?” I hid my conversation in the rim of my large mug, taking a slow drink so no one realized what we were doing. 

“I thought about it,” Lyla looked up at Dumbledore, who seemed to be deep into conversation with Moody. “But I’m not sure how much we’ll be able to prove to them short of having them take our memories and using a pensieve.” 

“If we say nothing, and something happens, then what can we do to make it right?” I asked, trying to weigh all the options in my head. By taking matters into our own hands earlier, we had done ourselves no favors. McGonagall had made it quite clear that they weren’t taking us as seriously now. This time our meddling had turned our word into speculative at best. “They won’t believe us; we’ve seen as much before what happened to Blair.”

“We do what Moody said - keep our ears to the ground, and be vigilant, and once we get some solid proof, we’ll go to them. They’ll have to believe us.” Lyla nodded to herself, pleased with her idea and I found myself nodding as well.

“Until then, we’ll keep an eye out for any wrongdoings. If anything happens, we’ll be there to stop it. We’ve got the head boy and girl on our side, I like to think we’re smarter than those Slytherin boys, and we’re taking advanced Defense; how hard could it be?” I took a drink of my butterbeer, finding the glass empty, and stood to get refills, happy with our plan, and with the fact that my uncle was home. 

\--

The next morning, exhausted and a little hungover from switching to something a little stronger than butterbeer the night before, I nursed a cup of tea and a piece of toast slathered with too much butter and jam to be considered healthy. Lyla sighed from across the table, using her wand to reach over and refill her coffee. “I feel like a garbage can,” Blair moaned, abandoning her plate of food in order to smash her head down onto the wooden table. 

“Seconded, but that’s what alcohol and two hours of sleep will get you.” James said, using his fork to push the food around on his plate. “The fact that we have to go to classes today feels like a personal offense.”

“The fact that it’s potions seems like it should be outlawed as well.” I sighed and tried to make the hard wooden bench more comfortable but didn’t get very far. “And where the hell are Remus and Sirius? How come they’re not here suffering like we are?” 

“Remus got up this morning and said something about having a pre-arranged appointment with Sirius, then left before I could ask more questions, though I wasn’t in the right state of mind to be asking much if you get what I mean.” Lyla drained the final dregs of her cup, and then nudged me with her knee before standing up.

I took one last bite of toast and wondered if it’d be possible to get a thermos of strong tea to go. “Who knows what that means. I swear that those two almost never have problems the day after drinking. If they have a secret stash I’ll kill them.”

James stood as well before grabbing three apples off the table and stuffing them into his robe. “If they have a stash, I’d have a stash, and we all know I’m here suffering with the rest of you.” I couldn’t argue with that, so together we walked towards the dungeons, cringing as the cool dampness stuck to our skin. 

Lyla and I sat in our usual seats, our three carefully crafted potions simmering gently on the table in front of us. I blew the billowing smoke from the dreamless sleep potion out of my face, taking into stock that in a month and a half we’d be free of having to do this ever again. The bell rang to signal classes were starting, but still no Sirius and Remus, and I shook my head, knowing that they’d have some grand excuse when they did show up.

As Slughorn stood from his seat in the front of the classroom, he perused the students, lingering on a few and their potions. Some of the Ravenclaw’s seemed to be a little more hesitant about what to make, and had opted for four potions rather than three, and we’d already had one explosion from a Hufflepuff pair that was now down to two potions and a third of the final grade being a Troll. When he stopped at our potion, he studied the three cauldrons and then nodded, tapping Lyla on the back in congratulations, and ignoring me entirely. 

“How I won’t miss being blatantly ignored by professors when we finish with this year.” I leaned my head in my hand, watching as Slughorn finished his rounds, still looking over Remus and Sirius’ potions despite the fact they weren’t here. 

“Instead you’ll be ignored by your bosses and co-workers and won’t that be fun?” Lyla laughed and I contemplated the future.

“I talked with Edgar Bones for a bit last night. He’s working on some sort of calcified gemstone the goblins at Gringotts found on a centaur which they think is cursed with some dark magic. He made it seem a little more exciting than the pamphlets McGonagall gave me. I’m thinking of looking into the internship.” I lowered my voice, choosing to ignore whatever Slughorn was talking about at the front of the classroom. By the jovial way he was rubbing his stomach, I could assume he was just telling a story that had nothing to do with any of our potions.

“Seriously?” Lyla looked at me, a proud tilt to her features. “My sister, the curse-breaker.”

“A nice ring to it, I think, and McGonagall will be happy.” I leaned forward, using my wand to add the first counter-clockwise stir to our Oculus Potion. Lyla tended to the dreamless sleep potion, turning the flame down so it wouldn’t get too hot, and then together we stirred the thick wiggenweld potion we’d brewed to counter our sleeping potion. 

“Have you given any thought to the other matter?” I sent her a curious glance, tying my hair back from my face as the steam caused me to start to sweat. The potion room was heating up, and I almost wished we could feel the cold chill of the air in the dungeon corridors. My headache wasn’t clearing up either. 

“I don’t know what you mean?” I said, writing a few notes down that would make it easier for us to write the joint essay later when we’d turn our potions in.

“About Sirius asking you to live with him? You’ve only got a few months left to decide.” She finished the last of her own notes, and then we sat down to take a break before the potions would need to be stirred again. We were nearing the point in the brewing that we’d need to come to the dungeons more frequently to stir, and I was dreading the thought of adding another task to our ever-growing list. 

“He hasn’t asked again. I’m hoping he will soon though. I know that everyone jokes that neither of us is into commitment but I really think I want to live with him. I mean, I love him, right? And I’m out here making commitments to things left and right now, so I’ve turned a new leaf.” I winked at Lyla, who rolled her eyes, and reached over to squeeze my hand. 

“He’ll ask again.” She assured me, and I sent her a small smile before resting my eyes for a moment as we waited for double-potions to come to an end. 

Later during my free-period, I sat in my dorm in my bed trying to fill out the internship questionnaire that McGonagall had handed me earlier when I’d been in her office. It was much harder than I had thought it would be. While my grades had never been terrible, they weren’t as stellar as they possibly could have been, and I knew that the entrance exam to the internship would be tougher than what I’d initially expected. I also was having trouble deciding how to put into words why I felt compelled towards the study of curse-breaking. 

There was a part of me stuck on the idea that I would also have to travel for the internship. Four weeks in a country of the program’s choosing, to experience different cursed items and cultures. Part of the reason I was hoping to follow this career path was to help the Order succeed in its fight against this supposed Dark Lord. If we were to be fighting dark wizards, an ability to fight dark magic would come in handy. But how was I meant to fight dark wizards if I wasn’t even in the country. And what would it mean for my relationship with Sirius? 

We wouldn’t be at school with each other anymore, forced to see each other even when we didn’t feel like it. Would he want to stay with me when there wasn’t a guarantee? I had decided that I wanted to stay with him, and to give our relationship the chance to mature with us, but what if he didn’t want to. Afterall, he hadn’t asked about moving in together again.

I fell back into the pillows on the bed with a sigh, placing my arms over my face to block out the light and tried to think of other things. There were footsteps outside the door, and then it creaked open with a groan, and a small knock sounded. I removed my arms and sat up, looking at the intruder. 

Remus smiled at me and motioned me forward. “Hi Alex. I need you to come down to Lyla’s and my rooms please. Sirius and I have been working on something all morning and we need your opinion.” 

Looking for any excuse to not think about the future any longer, I tossed my application into my bedside table, and grabbed my wand from where it sat next to the robe I’d shed earlier. “Let’s get to it.” I said to my brother-in-law, following him down the stairs into the Common Room where the rest of the crew was waiting. I stood next to Sirius, reaching up to give him a kiss when he leaned down to me. He wrapped his arm around my waist and motioned to Remus.

“Now that you’re all here, we can begin. Sirius and I decided that we’ve all had a little too much stress lately, so we’ve decided that we need to relax a little. Please follow me into our rooms and remember to duck when you get to the bottom of the stairs.” He opened the door into the hallway, walking down the short flight of stairs to Lyla and he’s rooms. At the bottom, a dark blanket covered the entrance. 

“Don’t forget to duck,” Sirius said to me, before pushing me lightly forward. I ducked as far as I could, and went through the blanket. The effect on the other side was, without a better way to phrase it, magical. They had obviously spent the better part of the morning making the main living area of their private rooms into a magnificent blanket fort.

Fairy lights were strung across the low ceiling of the fort, propped up to look like a tent, blankets and cushions, and all matters of comfortable things were placed throughout, with a smorgasbord of treats and tea in the middle. I couldn't help the delighted laughter that spilled from my lips at the sight. 

“This is amazing,” Lyla said as she dropped onto a pillow near the middle of the room and rolled to her back, looking up at the magical lights that seemed to flow around us. 

“How’d you do all of this?” Lily asked, taking her seat on a mound of blankets that looked like fur. “Is this what you recruited James for?”

“He’s the best at charms of the three of us, so we needed his help with the lights.” Sirius said, easing himself down next to me and dropping his arm around my shoulder. “What do you think? Should we hide out here for the rest of the day?”

I grinned up at him, leaning into his embrace as I faced my friends, “I’m always keen to relax and skive off.”

We all settled in, ready to relax and spend time in the company of friends, leaving the outside world to its own business for a few hours while we could.

\--


	29. Rule 2: The Epitome of Partying

_ Rule 2: Partying, no matter the occasion, the style, or the size of said party, must always be completed with vigor and intense merry-making. Bring the party to the party. _

_ Adenum: Drunkingg is awsum and should beee at evry partyy. _

_ Addendum to the Addendum: Drinking is the devil’s existence and should be banned from every party hereafter. _

_ Addendum to the Addendum to the Addendum: Drinking is awesome. _

_ Lyla’s Point of View _

_ \-- _

“Whoever said that the final term before graduating was supposed to be easy was a complete arsehole and a liar. I hope they swallow a blast-ended skrewt, choke on it, spit it up, swallow it again, and then it burns them up from the inside,” Alexa threatened, throwing her quill down and smoothing down the strands of hair that were sticking out in every direction from her now falling bun. It was as if all of Alexa’s stress and tension were concentrated in her hair follicles.

I set down the book that I had been flipping through to find a particular section on the Oculus Potion. Alexa and I had been working on our joint final essay for Slughorn, but I could see that my dear sister was at her wit’s end. “Alex, you need to take a deep breath,” I instructed her. “And maybe a brush.”

Alexa did not appreciate my attempt to lighten the mood, as evidenced by the intense glare she sent my way. “I’m being serious, Lyla,” she stressed. “In what world does it make sense to have us preparing for our final exams that will determine if we can graduate  _ and _ interview with various potential employers that hold our professional futures in their hands? On top of all that, we have to worry about the Order, which is one of the most intense unofficial extracurriculars that ever existed.”

Without a word, I rose from my place across the table from Alexa, and moved to the seat beside her. All the while, Alexa watched me with wild questioning eyes, seemingly on the brink of losing it. Pulling Alexa into my arms, and doing my best to quiet her almost immediate protests, I held her in silence for a few moments. Even though I, too, was feeling the stress of everything going on and the pressure of my future looming, I was also trying to savor all these final moments that we would never have again. 

“Do you feel better?” I asked gently, releasing her from my hold. 

Just shy of recoiling back into her seat, Alexa looked back at me, annoyed. “Those two minutes could have been put to better use, in my opinion, but I appreciate what you’re trying to do,” she begrudgingly conceded. “I don’t understand how you’re so calm. You’re usually the one who is on my case to be more prepared and stress-eating Cauldron Cakes.”

She wasn’t wrong, and Remus could certainly attest to my late-night snacking habits of late; I certainly hadn’t left my Cauldron Cake days behind me. “Believe me, I’m feeling the pressure, just as much as you are, but we’re in this together. I even drew up a schedule for us, so we can make sure we get all our studying in, complete our potions, prep for the interviews, and deal with the Order stuff. I’ve even budgeted some time for loosely structured fun.” 

I pulled out a rolled up piece of parchment from my robes and unfurled it in a flourish. Alexa’s eyes widened and then she ran her hands over her face, pulling the skin below her eyes downward, making her look very attractive. “How in Merlin’s name did you have time to make this master schedule with everything else that’s going on?! I barely had time to brush my hair this morning,” Alexa lamented. My eyebrow went up at the mention of her hair. “Please, no comments,” she quickly added. 

“Look, I split up the potion’s work so that leaves us with a little bit more time to prepare for the interviews,” I explained, pointing out various sections of the schedule. “We’ve got this. You’ve got this. You just have to remain calm and take one thing at a time.”

Alexa nodded her head, demonstrating at least some belief in what I was saying. She turned to face me a bit more full on. “This really means a lot to me,” she whispered in confession, her eyes cast downward at her twisting hands in her lap. I smiled slightly and nodded my head, encouraging her to continue. “I know I haven’t been an exemplary student, but this internship could be huge for me. I’m terrified to fail when the stakes are this massive.”

I placed a gentle hand on my sister’s shoulder and gave her a soft squeeze. “I’m terrified too,” I confided in solidarity. “We’re headed into the real world, where we’ll either sink or swim. No matter what, though, we’ll always have each other.”

She let out a quiet laugh and shook her head from the seriousness that had built up around us. “I don’t think I could have survived caring this much for all seven years at this bloody school. I honestly don’t know how you did it.” I rolled my eyes and returned to my side of the table. 

“To be fair, I did have a small mental breakdown earlier this year, so I don’t know if I would recommend it,” I joked. I had finally entered the acceptance stage of grief, and could even make light of the situation, even though it would always stay with me. I refocused back to the books and papers scattered around us and set my hands on the table. “Now, let’s finish up here because I have scheduled some interview prep in an hour, and we’re meant to be meeting up with everyone.”

I handed Alexa an ancient dusty book that was nearly falling apart and pointed to a section on the wiggenweld potion. Her quill once again took up residence in her hand and she began to take notes from the book. I could see the weight of expectations weighing on Alexa, more apparent now than ever before, but I also saw clearly what she couldn’t always see. 

Alexa had an air of confidence about her, a lot of which Sirius brought out in her, but I had seen the self-doubt that she kept shut behind closed doors, and she had seen mine. As I looked at my sister, I didn’t see the doubt, I didn’t see the worry. I knew Alexa was destined for amazing things. We were all on this precipice of our world being completely turned upside down, and not just with leaving Hogwarts; there were unspeakable dangers that were bubbling up, and all I knew was that I didn’t want to take that leap into the unknown with anyone else. 

She looked up from her writing and caught me staring at her during my moment of introspection. It took me a moment to break from my reverie and was met by her skeptical look. “I’m all for this take-every-moment-as-it-comes version of Lyla, but I’m going to need you to take this particular moment to work on our joint essay so we can pass this class.” I raised my hands in surrender and returned to my book as directed.

An hour later, as promised, we all gathered in mine and Remus’ rooms to help one another prep for our upcoming interviews. McGonagall had arranged for various future employers in a number of fields to come to Hogwarts to meet with the seventh year students. While she continued to stress that these were not necessarily formal interviews for specific jobs, our conversations had the potential to have a significant bearing on our future hopes and dreams. McGonagall really had a special way of building you up and stripping you down to pure terror all in a matter of words and looks.

We all sat around in various spots in the common room and it was quickly made self-evident that there were varying degrees of preparation that had taken place before this point. Lily sat close to me, a set of cards stacked in her hands that she was flipping through furiously. Beside her, James and Sirius were locked in what seemed to be a very intense game of exploding snap.

Lily shifted toward me and handed me half of her cards. “Okay, I’m ready,” she informed me. “I took the liberty of writing up some potential questions they could ask.” Of course she did. While I had always been at the top of the class with Lily, I even had to admit that she never ceased to outdo me. 

I quickly flipped through the cards to get a feel for the questions and then looked up at Lily in surprise. “I thought you were interested in working for the Ministry?” I posed for clarification. “Since when did you become interested in working for a private apothecary?”

Lily shrugged her shoulders, but didn’t let my questions shake her resolve. “While I believe there is a lot that can be accomplished with working for the Ministry as a potioneer, I think there is an incredible opportunity to make pre-prepared potions available to the larger wizarding world. There are so many people who do not have the means for all the necessary equipment to make many potions in their own home; but if they had wider access to the finished products that could be really revolutionary for a lot of people. Besides, I believe there is a lot of freedom outside of the Ministry to experiment and develop new cutting-edge potions, the likes of which we haven’t seen. Innovation is truly where my passion lies.”

There was a silence that came over the room as Lily gave her impassioned reply, which no doubt she had practiced, but delivered naturally. In a moment, her whole body and demeanor relaxed. “How was that?” she asked, excitedly. “I think that was my best delivery yet.” I let a laugh slip out and gave her a thumbs up.

“Clearly, Lily isn’t the one who needs the help,” Alexa piped up, shifting the focus. “Lily, you could literally have your pick of jobs after school. I, on the other hand, believe I only have very limited options, so I need to nail this.”

Remus shook his head at her self-deprecation. “All right then, Alex,” he responded. “What are you planning to say to the curse-breaker from the Ministry?” He motioned for her to take the floor, and Alexa met it with intense trepidation. 

Her lips moved slightly as she attempted and failed to form the words that her brain was dictating. She suddenly let out a frustrated groan and sunk low in her chair, moving a pillow to cover her face. “Remus, if I knew what I was going to say I wouldn’t be sitting here with you lot, completely freaking out.”

The muffled words pulled Sirius away from his game with James briefly. “Now, stop with that whinging,” he scolded. “Just speak from the heart, and say why you want to be a curse-breaker.” Alexa shot a glare at him from behind her pillow and remained silent. “Don’t think, just speak. Go.”

You could tell that she was getting frustrated by his rushing, until finally she firmly pressed the pillow into her lap. “Quit pestering me, Sirius,” she bit back. “It’s easy for people like you, James and Lyla. You all have been so sure of what you want to do with your life and your talents for years now. You have had this singular focus to become an auror since I’ve known you. I don’t have that.

“All I’ve ever known is that I want to do a job that means something, like really means something. I want to affect the lives of others in a positive way, and hopefully make this ever-darkening world a little lighter and a better place for witches and wizards to live. Until recently, I didn’t really know what that meant, but when McGonagall gave me that pamphlet for the curse-breaking internship, some things just clicked. There are increasingly more people who are illegally cursing items and using them as weapons to hurt innocent people, and I think those people need to be held accountable. I want to find a better way to get to those objects sooner before they can hurt people and return them to their ordinary glory. The world is scary enough as it is, and this is just one small way to make it a little less scary.”

Alexa was slightly out of breath when she finished speaking, and there was almost a light that was being emitted from her face. I smiled widely and nodded my head. Sirius, looked back at her unbothered. “There, just say that,” he replied nonchalantly. He threw her a quick wink and then returned to his game with James. Almost a little stunned, Alexa shifted in her seat and really took a moment to think about what she had just said. She, too, let a smile spread across her face, pleased with this new discovery she had.

“So it’s settled then,” James stated, matter-of-factly. “Padfoot, Wormtail, and I are destined to be badass aurors. Dear Lyla shall use that sweet angel touch of hers to heal the world. Alexa’s going to be out there, busting every curse she tirelessly hunts down. Moony, to my great disappointment, refuses to keep the band together in auror training and instead is hoping for a life of archiving for the Ministry. And my darling Lily, is going to work her way up to world-renowned potioneer in, no doubt, record time. That just leaves, old Blair Bear.” We all shifted our focus to Blair, who had stayed relatively quiet from her spot on the couch, hugging a pillow to her chest. “So, what’s it going to be, B?”

“Wait, let me guess,” Sirius quickly jumped in. “I could see you as a hard hitting reporter for the Prophet. Investigative journalism, uncovering the deep dark underbelly of society. You’ve always been very good at finding out everyone’s secrets.”

It was at that moment that I realized Blair, much like Alexa, hadn’t really discussed much in the ways of future plans. But, unlike Alexa, who had been vocal about her unknown future, Blair hadn’t mentioned a single thing. “I don’t know, I always thought you would make an incredible judge on the Wizengamot or a legislator for them. Merlin knows you can win the hell out of an argument.”

“Actually, I’ve already accepted a position with the Ministry in their Magical Beasts division as a magizoologist,” she casually threw out there. “Contingent on passing my N.E.W.T.S. of course.” Literally every single one of our jaws fell open in shock. How had we not known about this?! 

“Blair!” I exclaimed, in both excitement and indictment. “Why didn’t you mention anything before? That’s such huge news.”

She shrugged, not bothered at all. “Nothing’s a done deal yet,” she reiterated, downplaying the whole situation. “I’ve always loved animals and magical creatures and Professor Kettleburn always gave me top marks in Care of Magical Creatures. When I met with McGonagall she said that Kettleburn, and I quote, “Highly recommended you for the opening at the Ministry during a brief moment of lucidity before landing himself back in the Hospital Wing.” 

James looked at her skeptically for a moment. “Don’t get me wrong, I couldn’t be more chuffed for you,” James started, carefully, “But in all the years I’ve known you, I can’t remember a single time that you showed interest in magical beasts or their care. Where have you been hiding this part of you?”

She gave him an intense side eye in response. “I’m a woman of varied interests, James. Just because I don’t live and breathe, and talk incessantly about my passions doesn’t mean I don’t have them.” James threw his hands up in retreat. 

“I think what he meant to say was that we are all very happy for you,” Lily said, both coming to James’ rescue and Blair’s. Lily’s statement was echoed by our similar congratulatory exclamations. 

Sirius and James finally finished their game and turned their complete focus to the real task at hand. “Okay, so let’s just throw around some other possible questions they may ask,” James suggested. “Like, what is your greatest weakness? For me, I would say that I can sometimes become too singularly focused on my goals.”

“You care too much?” I clarified. “That’s your greatest weakness?” Lily snickered and then gave him a loving pat on his leg. “How about you, Sirius? You care too much, like James over there?”

Sirius shook his head in disagreement. “First thing that comes to my mind, and probably all of yours, is my looks. While also my greatest strength, being this devilishly handsome can be distracting for some. I anticipate being able to use that to my advantage for the most part, but it wouldn’t be the first time that it’s gotten me in trouble.”

Alexa scowled at her boyfriend disapprovingly. “Trust me, it’s not your looks that are getting you into trouble. It’s that mouth of yours that causes the majority of your problems.” They both stuck their tongues out at each other teasingly. Sirius leaned over the arm of the chair Alexa was occupying and moved to kiss her cheek. She put up a show of protest, but it was just that.

She wrapped her arms around Sirius’s neck and he leaned back against her chair in her embrace. “Well, my dear friends, our futures hang in the balance,” Alexa said, ominously. “Picture it now, five years have passed, we have all gracefully entered into our early twenties. I’ve amazingly, only gotten better looking and more wise.” We all smiled and laughed at Alexa’s antics that were all thinly veiled in some semblance of true hope from my dear sister. “What does our reality look like in five years then?”

The question hung in the room with such weight. The truth was, we all had so many hopes and dreams for our lives outside of Hogwarts, but the reality was, there was so much unknown in our world right now. Admittedly, when I joined the Order, I didn’t fully appreciate the gravity of the situation. I knew there were evil forces at work, and they were all starting to encroach; but I didn’t realize just how close they were to crashing down on us. 

With Uncle Scott’s disappearance, and subsequent return, and the sobering realization that some of our own classmates were already fighting for the other side as we were called to fight for our own; I felt a bit out of my depth. It was in these fleeting moments of normalcy that I clung to as the rest of the world seemed to be growing more and more out of our control. Tomorrow, everything we knew and had faith in could crumble, but for today, we were just normal kids, dreaming about the future.

“I can see it now,” James began with a flourish of his hands. “I’m one of the top aurors at the Ministry. Personally recognized by the Minister himself for my valiant efforts in keeping the wizarding world safe from nefarious forces near and far.” Lily rolled her eyes at how highly James thought of himself. “I get to work with my best mates,” he nods to Sirius and Peter, “And I get to come home to the love of a good woman.” At this, Lily’s eye roll was quickly replaced by a rush of red to her cheeks. While James didn’t mention her by name, we all knew that James saw a future for the two of them.

James realized the implication and gravity of what he had just said, and a flicker of panic came to his eyes. Sirius quickly came to his best friend’s rescue. “Too right you are, James. We’ll be at the top of our game,” he agreed, continuing this journey into the future. “We’ll be fighting bad guys, and girls; I am a feminist, afterall, and will bring them to justice.” He threw me a nod and a wink. “And as far as the love of a good woman? Well, that all depends on how long this one here will have me.”

He gave Alexa a playful nudge, but I could see in his eyes that he wholeheartedly believed what he said. Alexa laughed nervously, quick to get in on the joke before anyone could sense her uneasiness. I knew Alexa loved Sirius, and she had said that she had no reservations about moving in with him after school, but she had always been one to shy away from overt declarations of affection, to which even Sirius was not immune. 

Alexa quickly stood up from her spot, no doubt more subtly in her mind than in practice. “Well, would you look at the time,” she looked down at her left wrist that was noticeably void of a watch. “Wouldn’t want to be late. Doesn’t really send the right message. Early is on time, on time is late, and late is unacceptable. Isn’t that what you always say, Lyla?”

I gave her a quizzical look as I pushed myself off Remus. “While I don’t disagree, I don’t think I’ve ever said that,” I responded, reaching for my bag. “But, Alexa’s right, we should get a move on. Everyone put on a good face and their best foot forward. With any luck, we’ll all be gainfully employed after leaving these hallowed halls.”

“Ah, always the optimist,” Remus chided. We all gathered our belongings and our hopes and dreams and headed down to the Great Hall where McGonagall stood, looking slightly frazzled, directing students in various directions. “Good luck, all,” Remus said, as we all headed into the breach.

“Mrs. Lupin, I believe you will be meeting with one of the healers from St. Mungo’s today,” I nodded my head in confirmation, my belly slowly coming alive with tiny fluttering butterflies. “I’ve put in a good word, but I’m certain you have nothing to worry about.” She gave me a smile and then nodded over to a kind looking woman in lime-colored robes.

I followed the healer into the empty classroom and she immediately put me at ease with her warm demeanor. “Well, hello my dear, you must be Lyla” she started, extending her hand out to me. “My name is Miriam Strout, lovely to meet you.” 

Over the next hour, I spoke with Miriam about her work at St. Mungo’s and how she knew she wanted to be a healer. Our stories and passions seemed to overlap quite a bit. She was honestly one of the kindest people I had ever met. It would almost appear to be saccharine, but her sincerity came through with every word. She explained to me that she was a healer in the long-term care ward, caring for people who had either suffered permanent damage from magical ailments or spells or those who needed prolonged treatment. 

It honestly sounded exactly like what I wanted. To be able to connect with people and care for those in their most vulnerable moments felt like my purpose and passion. Just before leaving, Healer Strout gave me information to come and tour her ward with her and to sit down with the healer-in-charge. With the glowing recommendations from McGonagall and Slughorn, she expressed that she had no reservations about my abilities and would personally recommend me for a spot in the upcoming class of trainees.

I was light as air as I entered back into the corridor after meeting with Healer Strout. While I had always excelled in school and received top marks, I had very little experience outside the Hogwarts bubble and wasn’t quite as assured of myself outside the walls of this castle. This had helped to put my mind at ease, however, and for that, I was grateful. 

Glancing quickly at my watch, I realized that it was almost time for me to attend to mine and Alexa’s potions for our final exam. I pulled my bag further up my shoulder and hurried down the corridor, descending into the depths of the castle below. 

There was only one other student in the dungeon when I arrived in the classroom. I grabbed my textbook and tossed my bag at the foot of the workbench. Flipping through the various pages that I had marked, I let the book fall open on the oculus potion. The piece of parchment that Alexa and I had enchanted to show the changes and notes that the other had made on our own copy was littered with scribbles and alterations. 

I scanned down the list and saw a notation where Alexa had added the ground unicorn horn. According to the textbook, the potion should now be a turquoise color. My finger saved my place in the text as I quickly gazed at the contents of our cauldron and was pleasantly met by a beautiful blue-green liquid. Well done, Alex. “Right then,” I murmured to myself, redirecting back to the book. “Add the crystalized water until the potion turns indigo and then stir until orange. Easy enough.”

The storeroom was almost eerily silent as I searched for the crystalized water. Having organized and catalogued for Slughorn more times than I could count, I was able to locate the bottle rather quickly, but noticed that Slughorn had made some adjustments to my most recent system. Just before exiting the storeroom, there was a tugging at the back of my mind that gave me pause. Unable to fight my deepest organizational impulses, I turned back to the shelves and rearranged a few of the areas that were out of place.

Feeling that sense of calm that only organizing could give me, I headed back to my cauldrons to add the next ingredient. To my surprise, Remus was sitting on one of the stools and was working on an essay. “Well, hello there,” I greeted him with a smile and a kiss. “What brings you down here?”

“I knew you had a bit of work to do down here, so I thought I’d keep you company and could get some work done as well,” he explained. I gave his hand a squeeze to thank him for his thoughtfulness and then set back to work on my oculus potion.

Adding the crystalized water little by little, watching for the color change, I glanced over to Remus who was working quietly on his own. “How did your interview go?” I asked him. I had noticed that Remus had been relatively quiet earlier when we had all gathered in our rooms, and I could tell that something had been on his mind.

He looked up from his essay and shrugged his shoulders. “It went well. The Archivist seemed pretty confident that they would offer me a position after I graduate,” he relayed. “Apparently they don’t have hoards of people clamoring to hide away in the archives at the Ministry.” He gave a good-natured laugh, but I detected a hint of sadness.

“That’s great, I’m glad it went well,” I congratulated, adding a bit more from the vial to the cauldron, the contents starting to fade into a darker blue/purple. “It sounds like James, Sirius, and Peter are really going to miss you as they go off for auror training.” I absolutely thought I was being more subtle than I was, and I was one hundred percent fishing, but that’s just what wives did.

Remus’ eyes met mine, his look clearly trying to figure out what I was getting at. “It will just be different,” he conceded. “We’re so used to doing everything together, but we were bound to head off in different directions at some point, and we’ll all adjust just fine.”

“Did you ever think about joining the auror program with them?” I questioned, pushing a bit further. “You’re always in the top of the class in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and it always just seemed like something you’d be well-suited for.”

“Lyla, just leave it,” he cautioned. “I would be happy working in the archives. It’s honest work and I enjoy the history of it. And it will allow me to be at home more with you, and that’s really all I want.”

The potion finally slipped into a deep indigo and I immediately started stirring the contents. After a moment, I charmed the stirrer to continue moving in the clockwise rotation. I moved away from the cauldron and leaned forward on my forearms across from Remus. “I just mean that you could do anything you want, Remus. If you truly want to work in the archives, that’s great. But if there’s a part of you that wants to be an auror, it’s not too late for you to apply.”

Remus’ hand stilled and he let out a sigh. He once again looked up to meet my eyes. “It’s not that I haven’t thought about it,” he admitted. “But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that here, my furry little problem was generously accommodated and Dumbledore has helped me hide it. Once I leave here, Dumbledore can’t help me guard that secret and I don’t think people are going to be so understanding. I know you know what I am, and I can’t thank Merlin enough that you’ve been able to accept me and love me despite that other piece of me. But you don’t understand the fear that me and my family have had to live with outside of Hogwarts. 

“The fear that someone will discover what I am. When people are afraid, they don’t always act rationally. They can be discriminatory, violent even. I would hate it if I brought any of that into what is now our life together. I just think that if I were to become an auror, that would be putting a target on my back. I don’t want to live like that, and I won’t let that piece of me affect you more than it already has.”

I swallowed the hard lump in my throat and took Remus’ hand in mine, gently stroking his skin with my thumb. His words broke my heart, but I knew there was nothing I could say that could ease his pain. “There is nothing anyone could say or do that would make me love you any less,” I assured him immediately. “You have a bright future ahead of you, and I will support you in whatever you choose. Just know that we can get through anything together, so don’t worry about me or anyone else, and you just choose what’s going to make you happy. I just want you to be happy, okay?”

He squeezed my hand and then brought it up to his lips, pressing them sweetly against my skin. We both slipped back into our work without another word and continued to work in silence.

\--

“Wait, so Muggles really believe that the diricawl went extinct?” Sirius questioned as he flipped through our Care of Magical Creatures notes. “How have they not figured out it’s magic? Birds don’t just up and vanish one day. No offense to them, but that’s a bit thick.”

I let out a laugh, unable to really disagree. “They just reasoned it away by thinking their own actions led to the dodo’s demise,” I recited from memory. “Which, clearly didn’t make a huge impact on how they treat nature, but the Ministry was hopeful that it would so they’ve kept their existence a secret ever since.”

Sirius shook his head. “Cheeky, little things just popping in and out of existence as they please.” He finished flipping through a few pages and then tossed them onto the nearby table in mine and Remus’ dorm. He leaned back against the arm of the couch and stretched his legs out, encroaching onto my lap. “We’ve been at this for hours, Lyls, I need a break. Can we talk about something else for a while?”

“I think we can spare a twenty minute break,” I conceded. “I want to review that last section on knarls one last time before we head in for the exam though, so we can’t laze about for too long.” He saluted me and then continued to stare at me expectantly. I met his stare with confusion and he made a small motion for me to speak. “I’m sorry, was there something specific that you were hoping to talk about?”

He quickly shrugged his shoulders and looked away very casually. “No, not at all,” he said. “Just opening the floor to anything on your mind. If there’s anything new going on in your life, or the lives of our friends. Alexa has been pretty busy with studying for the exams lately. Is she doing okay, has she said anything to you lately?”

My eyes narrowed toward the dark-haired boy before me, blatantly fishing for information. Sirius was smooth-talking in most areas of life, but when it came to him and Alexa, subtle he was not. “She certainly is taking this round of exams very seriously, but she’s taking it all in stride. Only the occasional freak out,” I responded, being intentionally obtuse. 

“Right, right,” he rattled off. “Last chance for good impressions before heading out into the real world. Before we know it exams will be a thing of the past and we will head off to new places with all sorts of new people. I’m sure your parents are very concerned about where their darling daughters will end up.”

I tried to fight the smile that was creeping onto my face, but I could tell that I was failing miserably. “I have a sneaking suspicion that my parents aren’t the only ones who are wondering about that,” dropping the trail of proverbial breadcrumbs. 

Breadcrumbs which Sirius immediately tried to dodge. “I suppose James has mentioned something or another about it. That boy is awfully inquisitive and nosy.” I pursed my lips and raised my eyebrow at him. “Okay, fine, I’m the one who really wants to know, but you can’t tell Alexa I brought it up.” 

I made a cross over my heart in solemn promise. “I’m assuming this has to do with you suggesting that you and Alexa live together after school and her complete oblivion in the moment.” It was more of a statement than a question.

“She laughed when I brought it up,” he sighed, slumping further into the couch. “I know we have had our ups and downs, Merlin knows I’m more than to blame for a lot of the lows, but we’ve been so good for a while now. I really do love her, Lyla, I want you to know that.” I gave his knee a squeeze and a nod, letting him know that I had no doubts. “I’m not suggesting that we have to spend the rest of our lives together, but I thought we were in a place where living together wasn’t outlandish, certainly not warranting laughter.”

Alexa could be maddening at times, and she has a knack for causing problems for herself without even realizing it. Clearly she hadn’t broached the subject with him since his initial proposition, and the poor kid had just been dwelling in the silent darkness about it all. “I think you’re reading too much into it,” I counseled. “She reacted the way she did because she was caught off guard. You know Alexa sometimes just speaks and reacts in the moment without really thinking. She just needed a little more time to process it. I can’t say for sure, but I think if you bring it up again, and ask her properly, you won’t be disappointed by her answer.”

A small glimmer of hope came to Sirius’s eyes and his naturally dark gaze seemed to brighten for a moment. “You think so?” he asked, seeking validation. “I don’t want her to feel pressured and get totally freaked out. I wouldn’t put it past that sister of yours to change her name and skip town to avoid commitment or awkward conversations.”

He honestly wasn’t wrong. Sirius himself had been pretty commitment-phobic, historically, but somehow, Alexa had broken him out of that mold. He had done the same for her, but I knew for Alexa that everything in her being wanted her to take the leap with Sirius, and that absolutely terrified her. “Trust me, I don’t think you have anything to worry about,” I tried to assure him. “Now, let’s go crush this exam so we can start studying for the next one.”

I sat up and grabbed for our notes again. “Don’t you ever just take a moment to enjoy the feeling of accomplishment before moving on to the next conquest?” he questioned, incredulously. 

“Don’t you worry, Sirius, there will come a time for celebratory frivolity, but now is not that time,” I told him seriously.

“You are way more intense than Moony. And Evans better watch her back with this level of dedication and drive.” He took the notes out of my hands and grabbed for our bags. “Come on, I’ll quiz you while we walk. I heard that the motion can help your brain commit information to memory.”

I gasped slightly and reached out to stop him momentarily. “Someone read my study tips that I made for everyone. I’ve never been more proud.” Sirius rolled his eyes and kept walking, firing questions at me as we headed to our first of our last exams at Hogwarts.

Two and a half hours later, Sirius and I emerged from the classroom and we both felt lighter. Not to be too boastful, but we had made light work of that exam. Blair had finished her Muggle Studies exam and we all convened for our Transfiguration exam. Alexa slid into the chair next to me and took out her ‘lucky’ quill. “So, what are the chances that McGonagall takes pity on us and just cancels the exam?” Alexa voiced, attempting to speak her dream into existence. 

“I think there is a greater chance of Lily leaving Prongs to run off with Snape,” Sirius’s answer met with a scowl from Lily and a punch in the arm from James. Lily quickly and quietly reassured James as Sirius chuckled and Alexa groaned. 

“Do you think it’s possible to study so much to the point that you forget everything?” Blair then pondered. “If so, I think I’m there. It just makes no sense. They know we are in our last term and have all but checked out entirely. You’d think they’d make our final exams just a formality.”

As the finer points of the wizarding education system were debated, McGonagall entered into the classroom wearing her signature emerald robes and had almost a gleeful look on her face. Well, as gleeful as McGonagall could be. “Good afternoon,” she began, as a hush fell over the room. “I wish you all the best of luck as you take this, your final Transfiguration exam. Congratulations to you all on another successful year, and I look forward to seeing what you all accomplish after you leave us at Hogwarts. You may begin.”

With a flick of her wand, scrolls of parchment deployed from her desk at the front of the classroom with a flourish and landed on our desks before us. Alexa looked at me and gave me a solemn nod, then both of us turned our focus to the exam before us. 

Alexa was the last one of us to emerge from the classroom after the exam. We had all waited outside the room for everyone to finish. She looked stunned and had a vacant, yet panicked, look on her face. We all waited for her to speak, but she just stared off in the distance, dazed. “Alexa?” I said, attempting to make contact. I touched her arm and she shifted her gaze to me. “Hey, no matter the outcome, it’s going to be okay. You’ve just gotta shake this one off and put it behind you.”

She shook her head at my words. “McGonagall pulled me aside after I turned in my exam,” she spoke slowly. “She looked over my exam. She told me I passed.” 

I think we all collectively gasped and then broke into celebratory congratulations. Sirius rushed to Alexa and hoisted her up in his arms. “My girl is a genius!” he exclaimed as Alexa finally began to show the joy and relief she was feeling. This had been the exam that Alexa had been fearing the most, and she had crushed it. I was so glad that Alexa got the confidence boost she needed to get through the rest of exams. 

The rest of the week honestly went by in a blur. We were all pretty diligent about our studies, carving out some down time to stay sane, and various smaller things that all the inductees to the Order had to do. We were constantly running and we were all desperately looking forward to it all being done, something I’m sure we would regret as we took our final steps out of Hogwarts. 

Alexa, Blair, and James had closed the book on Herbology. Remus and I had turned in our final essays for Ancient Runes, which had damn near killed me. We had finally made it to Thursday night and we were all leaving our Astronomy exam, heading for the Room of Requirements. 

“I just feel like the biggest takeaway from that class as a whole was that Mercury being in retrograde has single-handedly caused most of my problems in life,” Blair shared her realization as we all settled into the ever-changing room that the magic of the castle created for us. “In many ways, it was completely out of my hands and was just up to the stars and the planets.”

Alexa nodded in agreement as Lily shook her head. “You both know that the planet’s movement and alignment doesn’t actually alter the choices we make or the world around us, right?” Lily questioned, playing the devil’s advocate.

“Lily, must you always be so rational and a spoilsport?” Blair countered. “If I can chaulk some of my misguided choices up to the cosmos, let a girl have that.” Lily threw up her hands in surrender as she unceremoniously plopped down on one of the nearby couches the room had conjured for us. 

I dug deep in my bag and pulled out the schedule that I had made for everyone and a noticeable groan escaped from Alexa. “Lyls, I love you, but every time you pull that damn thing out, it just means more work for me,” she whinged. 

“Look, we have two final exams left and we still have to get through the Order induction,” I made my case. “My schedule has served us well thus far, and we are in the home stretch; now is not the time to slack off.” 

Remus sat down next to me, wrapping an arm around my waist and leaning in to look over my shoulder at the parchment in my lap. He scanned down the paper with his finger quickly and found what he was looking for. “Right, Order business it is tonight, ladies and gents,” he announced. “McGonagall said that we all had to be able to produce a patronus in order to complete our induction. That’s apparently how they are planning to communicate with one another, harder to track.”

“Do you really think they wouldn’t let us in after all we’ve been through if we can’t produce a patronus?” Blair questioned.

James shrugged his shoulders. “I for one am not willing to find out,” he offered as a non-answer. “Why they don’t teach us this in school, I’ll never know.”

“Maybe if they could keep a damn professor for more than a year in Defense, we would actually learn something useful, but such is life, Prongsy,” Sirius criticized. “All right, let’s split up girls and boys, and practice.”

We splintered off to opposite sides of the room, previously finding it easier for us to all concentrate if we weren’t all together. Lily folded her arms across her body and tapped her wand on her chin. “I know none of us have been able to produce our patronus yet, but from what I’ve read the memory work before is important. It’s all about finding the happiest memory you can think of. You have to really let the joy consume you otherwise it’s not going to work. Who wants to give it a go?”

We all looked to one another, no one quite ready to take the leap. “Why is it, that the moment I need to think of the happiest moment in my life, I come up empty and it’s like I’ve never experienced joy before?” Alexa expressed her frustration. “Obviously I have happy memories, but nothing seems happy enough.”

“I think we just have to go for it,” I encouraged. “It’s going to be trial and error. We won’t know until we try.” Regretting speaking up; Lily, Blair, and Alexa were all looking to me now to take my own lead. I nodded my head begrudgingly as I took my wand out of my robe and began to mentally file through my memories. 

There were a ton of possibilities and I had already tried several childhood memories with little success, figuring that pure adolescent joy was the best place to start. I had decided to try some more recent memories this time around and began to think about my time with Remus and our journey together. We had had a lot of heartache and tragedy, but our time together had also been filled with such love and happiness. 

I cleared my throat and lifted my wand as I began to picture mine and Remus’s wedding day. I closed my eyes and pictured the day that Remus and I got married. I could remember vividly the moment the doors opened into the church and I saw Remus at the front of the church, absolutely beaming and looking so very handsome in his suit. I saw us exchanging our vows surrounded by all of our loved ones and could really feel the joy and happiness and peace that I had felt that day. As I held those images in my mind, I spoke the incantation with conviction. “Expecto patronum.” 

I waited a few seconds, which seemed like minutes, and opened one of my eyelids to find absolutely nothing conjured before me. I let out a sigh of frustration, and felt a little guilty that one of the happiest days and moments of my life wasn’t joyous enough to bring forth my patronus. Alexa gave me a half smile and my arm a squeeze. 

“It’s okay, Lyls, you’ll get it,” Blair offered encouragingly. We each went around, taking turns casting the spell, trying to think of our most beloved memory. Time after time, we’d conjure the memory in our mind, speak the words, and nothing would happen. I was really starting to hate those words. The only solace was that the boys didn’t seem to be making much progress either. 

Alexa had gotten so frustrated she had taken residence on the floor. “Ugh, this is useless,” she lamented as she wallowed. “I mean, most practiced witches and wizards can’t master this sort of magic, and they’re expecting a bunch of barely legal students to just be able to figure this shit out on our own?!” 

She made a compelling point. “They carefully chose all of us, and they obviously chose us because they believed we could handle this. We just have to keep at it. Sure, time is running out, but we still have a couple of days to get it sorted.” Blair looked back at her skeptically. “Come now, Alexa, up you get. Have another go.”

As she groaned and lifted her body off the floor, you would have thought her limbs were as heavy as lead. Begrudgingly, she raised her wand and closed her eyes in thought. I could see her eyes moving from behind her eyelids and she kept murmuring to herself. 

A small smile graced her lips and she shifted on her feet as she began to move her wand in a circular motion. “Expecto patronum,” Alexa said. Nothing happened. She said it again with more conviction.

Almost suddenly, a brilliant white light glowed from the tip of Alexa’s wand. We all gasped and exchanged excited glances, but as quickly as it had started, the light faded. “Holy shit,” Blair breathed out.

Alexa’s eyes were wide in surprise. “You all saw that, right?” she questioned. “That wasn’t just my mind showing me what I want to see, was it?”

I let out a laugh and pulled Alexa into a hug. “Alexa, you did it!” I exclaimed, as she shared in my excitement. “Well, the closest any of us have gotten, at any rate.” Alexa let out a slow breath, still in shock at what she had done. “How’d you do it? What did you think of?”

She shook her head in disbelief. “It was like pure light and joy running through me,” she explained. “I just kept thinking about the summer when Sirius and I were sneaking around to see each other behind everyone’s backs. We were so new and carefree. I was so happy, and that was the first time I was falling in love with someone, it was like magic.”

I gave her a squeeze before I released her. We were all buzzing from Alexa’s progress, and it renewed our hope in being able to accomplish our goal. The boys, clearly having seen what Alexa had accomplished rushed over. Sirius pulled her into his arms and placed a kiss on the top of her head. “I feel like this should get me out of my Defense final, don’t you think?” Alexa suggested. We all broke into a fit of laughter as Alexa continued her rationalization.

Our final exam finally came around. The only thing standing between us and entering the wizarding world at large was Slughorn. We had all spent the last two days and nights writing our essays and sweating over our cauldrons as we finished up our three potions. 

Slughorn was at the front of the classroom and was dressed in his finest robes. There was nothing Slughorn loved more than a little showmanship and gravitas. He clapped his hands together and was beaming. “Well, my dear pupils,” he began. “The day has finally come. The last seven years of potions mastery coming to a close, but first the ultimate inquest.” 

He was clearly more excited about what was about to take place more than any person in the classroom. “Now, I will be coming around to each of the pairs and you will administer your potion to one of yourselves and then you will follow it with the anti-potion.” At these instructions, murmurs broke out through the room. Alexa and I exchanged a nervous look. Lily’s hand shot into the air. “Excuse me, Professor, you want us to take our own potions? What if we didn’t make them correctly?” 

“Hardly something you should worry about, Ms. Evans,” Slughorn replied with a chuckle. “However, I sense your meaning. Never fear, I’ve already done some preliminary testing on your potions, and have deemed them safe to consume. Now, we must discover if they will carry out their intended purpose. Let’s begin!”

Alexa and I sat impatiently for our turn. We kept a close watch over our cauldrons as they bubbled over the low flames. “So, how do you want to do this?” I asked Alexa. 

“Well, I was thinking since you were the oldest, you should probably be the one to take the potions,” she suggested. I gave her a questioning look for more explanation. “It’s just, I’m younger and have so much more of my life to live. You’ve lived a full life, if things go south you’ll be at peace with your life thus far.”

“That’s real nice,” I told her, rolling my eyes. “Fine, I’ll do it, besides it’s totally safe. You heard Slughorn.”

Alexa shrugged her shoulders, not totally convinced by Slughorn’s words. A moment later, Slughorn was at our table and gave me a kind smile. “Two of my favorite siblings,” he greeted us. “Lyla, let me just say, it has truly been an honor and a privilege to have you as a student. Do keep in touch after you leave these hallowed halls, and should you ever need anything from your dear old professor, don’t hesitate to ask my dear girl.” I gave him a nod and thanked him. He looked to Alexa and she grinned back at him, awaiting her speech. “Well, let’s get to it.”

I stifled the laugh that bubbled up at Alexa’s jilted demeanor. She threw me a look as she ladled out a small portion of the dreamless sleep potion. I took the vial from her, the violet color shimmering in the glass. As I held it up to my mouth, I could smell the faintest scent of lavender. I looked to Slughorn and then to Alexa, who crossed her fingers as I tilted the vial to empty the contents into my mouth.

A moment later, total darkness.

“Lyla?” I heard a voice breaking through the darkness. “Lyla, did it work?” I slowly started to flutter my eyes open. Standing above me were Alexa and Slughorn. Slughorn was laughing jovially and clapping his hands and Alexa looked incredibly pleased with herself.

“Well done, you two, well done!” Slughorn bellowed as Alexa helped me up off the floor. “Near perfection!” He continued his applause as he continued on to the next pair and I attempted to find my bearings. 

My mind still felt a little foggy as I tried to blink the haziness away. Alexa leaned in and squeezed my shoulders. “Fucking hell!” she whispered excitedly. “We did it, Lyls. How are you feeling?”

A small yawn escaped as I went to respond. “I’m still a little sleepy, to be honest,” I confessed. “I think you gave me a little too much.”

Alexa shook her head. “You’re fine,” she playfully dismissed me. “I mean, how do you feel now that we’re officially done with school forever? We really did it. I really wasn’t sure this day would come.”

I gave her a smile and put my arm around her shoulders. “I never had any doubts,” I told her. “I’m so proud of you, Alex. Proud of us. Now, let the celebrations begin.” A mischievous glint came to her eye. James and Sirius came over a moment later. Those boys could sniff out a party even before one was being planned. 

\--

Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter stood on a table, cups in their hands and the raucous party carried on around us. “Listen up, everyone!” Sirius bellowed over the din of the crowd. It took a moment for the directive to spread throughout the room and the music quieted down. When the noise had sufficiently dimmed, Sirius continued.

“On behalf of my fellow Marauders and myself,” he began, motioning to his best friends next to him. “I want to welcome all of you to our final party here at Hogwarts.” There was an uproar of cheers and applause. Alexa and I touched our cups together as we held each other close, our arms linked together. “For seven years, we Marauders have thrown a number of legendary parties, but none more legendary than tonight’s. We will all be graduating and leaving for parts unknown soon, but this place will always connect us. Yes, even you, Slytherins. We’ve spent hours studying, some more than others. We’ve gained friends and lovers along the way.” Remus threw me a wink and an alcohol-induced giggle escaped me. “Let’s celebrate all that we’ve accomplished and drink to all that’s yet to come. So, raise your glasses.”

Everyone around the room followed Sirius’ direction. “Tonight, may your cup runneth over. May you confess all those secrets you’ve been dying to tell. May we make as many questionable choices while we still can. And may we party until the sun comes up. To us!”

We all cheered and took a sip from our cups. The Marauders all exchanged handshakes and were clapped on the back by several of the partygoers as they came down from their perch. They finally made their way over to where Alexa, Lily, Blair and I were sitting and Remus sat on the floor in front of me and rested his arm across my legs. He leaned his head back slightly to look up at me. I stroked his cheek as he stared back at me, his eyes already a little glossy from the alcohol. I shifted forward and kissed him deeply.

“Quite the rousing speech you gave up there,” Alexa piped up, breaking Remus and I apart. “And what questionable choices did you have in mind exactly?”

Sirius tapped his chin in thought. “Well, for starters, I thought you could start by spending the night with me.” Alexa rolled her eyes and swatted at him. “This is the end of an era, lads,” he continued. “Not to boast, but we are leaving this place as legends. I can only hope that some young precocious lads will pick up the mantle in our absence.”

“It really doesn’t seem real,” Blair mused. “Just like that, seven years have passed and we’re heading out to the real world. I remember the first day of first year like it was yesterday. Was it just me or was everyone else absolutely shitting themselves?”

We all broke out in a fit of laughter. “I remember McGonagall greeting us in the entrance hall with that stern look of hers,” Remus added. “To be fair, she scared me then, and she scares the living shit out of me still when she gets that look.” Sirius and James raised their glasses in agreement.

“I know we all didn’t get off to the best start,” Alexa chimed in, “But I am so glad that we all found each other. None of this would have been the same without every single one of you. For good and for bad.” I leaned over and gave Alexa a squeeze. “I know my first impressions ended up being pretty wrong, but I have never been more happy to be proven wrong in my life.”

Knowing full well he was going to wind her up, Sirius poked at her. “So, what were your first impressions of me then? Devilishly handsome, witty beyond measure?” Alexa narrowed her eyes and stuck out her tongue. “Well, I thought you were absolutely beautiful and I could tell by the look in your eye that you were going to be a thorn in my side every single day, which has proven to be immeasurably true. I just hadn’t realized how much I would have enjoyed it.”

Alexa rolled her eyes and shook her head. “You knew all that when we were eleven?” Sirius nodded his head firmly. “Well, you sure didn’t act like it. You drove me absolutely mad in first year.”

Blair took a sip from her cup and interjected. “That’s textbook, Alexa. You see, the mind of a young boy is so immature that the only way they can fathom showing their affection for another is by annoying and borderline terrorizing their crush. So childish.”

“Look, we all made naive choices in our younger years,” Sirius admitted. “Take Lily and Remus, for example, aligning themselves with Bree and Andy Ablo. What a colossal mistake that ended up being.”

Lily and Remus shot daggers toward Sirius. I stroked the back on Remus’s neck to ease him a bit. He relaxed back against my legs and rubbed my knee. “Now, we all knew that Sirius and Alexa fancied the pants off each other. But the surprise of the century, and the biggest reversal of first impressions has to go to our dear Lilykins when it comes to old James here,” I lobbied. James made a shocked face at my words and then quickly nodded his head in agreement.

“I still have my days where I really second guess my choices, but I have to admit that he really did win me over,” she admitted with a roll of her eyes. “As cringey as this is, I feel like I’ve found my person and the best friends I’ll ever have. Cheers to giving me another chance.”

Blair stood up from her spot and extended a hand to both me and Alexa. We took them and she pulled us up with her and over to where Lily was sitting in an armchair. Lily looked up at her, perplexed, and Blair threw herself into the chair with Lily, bringing us along for the pile on. We all held each other close and shared a laugh. “Lily, you’ve always been A class girl. If there’s anything I’ve learned over the years, it’s once we’re friends, we’ll always be in each other’s lives. There’s no getting rid of us.”

Lily genuinely looked like she had tears in her eyes and that she was on the verge of crying. She tightened her hold on Blair and leaned her head on her shoulder. It was actually really lovely to see the two of them finally putting everything they had been through aside to embrace the friendship that we all shared. 

James was grinning like a cheshire cat. He had been wanting this for so long, and as our time at Hogwarts was coming to an end, he finally got it. And Blair was right. We had all formed friendships with one another that could never be broken. No matter how much time or space passed between us, we would always love one another. 

Sirius cleared his throat, and sat forward in his chair. “While we’re all in the sharing mood and getting things off our chests, I would be remiss if I didn’t say this.” We all looked back at Sirius, who seemed to be rather, well, serious. “Alexa, when I asked you this before, I’m afraid that you didn’t realize how genuine I was being. The thought of us leaving here and not getting to see you every single day is just shit. We’re about to be heading into an unknown future with a lot of unknown dangers. If you’re not by my side, if you’re not there when I wake up and when I go to sleep, I don’t think I like that future. So what do you say Parker?”

Alexa gasped slightly as a cry escaped her. She was absolutely beaming. Her eyes were brimming with tears and her cheeks were red, a mix of emotions all over her face. She looked at me, a bit shocked by Sirius’s proclamation. I gave her hand a squeeze of encouragement and a small nod. After a few moments of silence, we all waited for her response with baited breath. “Captain Awesome will absolutely not be sleeping in bed with us,” she replied with a cheeky smile. 

Sirius let out a sigh of relief. He rubbed his hands over his face as he let out a chuckle. “The first of many compromises,” he said, coming over and leaning down to kiss Alexa. In the middle of their kiss, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him off balance and he fell onto the rest of us, now making this a five-person chair. We all struggled to move under the weight of one another, but it was like a big hug and none of us could be bothered. 

“Well, come on you lot, jump on in here,” I instructed, motioning for James, Remus and Peter to join the impossibly crowded chair. “You too, Peter, there’s no getting out of this.” Peter, realizing that I noticed his hesitation, blushed furiously and reluctantly followed James and Remus. 

Sitting there, literally being crushed by the love of my very best friends in the whole world, I knew this was the end of such a beautiful story. As we all prepared to close this book, there was so much excitement for the story that was yet to come, and I couldn’t have been happier to be writing it with them.

\--

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! I know this seems very sudden, and it is, but my co-creator and I have decided that this chapter, and the following chapter, will be the last of the Marauder's Guide. Whereas before we had planned on continuing the guide into the later years of the lives of our characters, we have decided to dedicate that to a separate story entirely. The Marauder's Guide to us has been completed once the Marauders have left the school, as they no longer need it to follow them out into the world. We WILL be writing another story that will span from the time they leave the hallowed halls of Hogwarts, into their lives as adults during the rise and subsequent fall of Voldemort. We hope everyone has loved this story as much as we have, and we look forward to having you read our next story. Now, onto the final chapter of the Marauder's Guide in three...two...one...


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